Once Upon a Time
by istanzia
Summary: This is a story about Xellos's past, a story about who he was, what he wanted... why did he become a Mazoku? Chapter 15/last chapter up! Enjoy!
1. Default Chapter

Once Upon a Time  
  
By Hotaru Kimiko Lai  
  
Prologue  
  
The night was clear. Tintillating white stars floated lazily in a dark azure sky, made of satin. It was also a beautiful night. Even more precious, was the moon. Perfect and round... if you looked at it carefully, you saw little craters... or perhaps, it was the man on the moon. What if he wasn't a man? Maybe the elf on the moon. Yeah, that was more like it. The elf on the moon...  
  
In a town named Zephyria, on such a night as this, when the elf on the moon decided to show his face on the surface of the moon if anybody cared to look, there was a house. A very nice house. Avery fine house, made of wood. It had a garden too, and quite cute it was also! Notice that the house has windows... and they are shining even though it's dark outside. And notice the star shining on top of the house? Which? Why the largest one, of course. Yes, that one... the star of hope and redemption, the star of secrets past, present and future... someone very special lives here. Who? Well, let's see....  
  
"Quick! Get the boiling water to the bedroom!"  
  
"Coming!"  
  
"Goodness, he's almost here!"  
  
"Is the doctor here yet?"  
  
"He's in the bedroom! Now, go and boil the good doctor's tools."  
  
"How's she doing?"  
  
"Fine. Perfectly, for her first one."  
  
"And the master of the house?"  
  
"He's in the room also."  
  
"Hurry up!"  
  
"Here are the tools you wanted."  
  
"Hot blankets! What do I do with them!"  
  
"Give them to the mistress of the house!"  
  
"Hurry up!"  
  
Ah... yes, pandemonium ensued in every corner of the house. Servants wearing reds and oranges and white scurried to and fro, fro and to, like marbles rolling across a smooth wooden floor. Feet click sharply on the floor. The lights are on. And finally, a shout is heard... and the servants relax. It has passed. The baby was born.  
  
In yet another part of the town, we see a different scene. This time, there is a small cottage. Not quite as lovely as the other one. No, there was no house as lovely as the other one. But this one... there is something special about it also. How do I know? Why look up at the stars! See that one, the bright fiery red one? That is the star of fire, of passion and danger. And the pale violet beside that one? The star of pain. What, you ask of that third star, so tiny and so small? Well, that is a very special star... the star of promises. Yes, someone very special lives here too. Let's see who?  
  
"Is it done?"  
  
"Yes, you were very fortunate, Mrs. Quertwen."  
  
"Tell me, how is she doing?"  
  
"She's a fine healthy girl. Here she is!"  
  
"So small..."  
  
"Yes, but will grow up and be just as beautiful as her mother."  
  
"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done with out you here."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Now rest."  
  
"I want to call her."  
  
"What will you name her?"  
  
"Merlina... after her daddy's wishes."  
  
"A nice name. Your husband, may he rest in peace, would have been glad."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Now, rest my dear. I will be back to help you in the morning."  
  
"Thank you Sherri."  
  
"You're welcome. After all, that's what we midwifes are for! Sleep tight, Merlina Quertwen. Sleep tight, Jera Quertwen."  
  
And this is the story of two people, who lived life to the fullest. Of two people who would not allow Fate to dance as she wished. Two people who loved life and each other. But Shhhh.... the don't know that yet. Yes, this is the tale of romance, and separation too great to bear. The tale of adventures and of comedy. And prejudices and their power. But remember, the power of love overcomes all! This is the tale of Xellos and Merlina.  
  
Six Years Later....  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Dear [insert name here], You stink...  
  
Jera Quertwen looked at her little daughter. She had heard some children were born fighters... that was OK with her. Just that, well, most of them had been boys. Never in her wildest imaginations would she have expected her daughter to be one of them. Merlina looked up at her mother with her bronze eyes. Her ruby red hair was put into two braids. Her dress looked spotless. Yellow with red fireball design. Merlina had insisted.  
  
"Now, Merlina... promise me." said Jera.  
  
"Promise what?" asked Merlina. Today was her first day in first grade and she was very excited.  
  
"You won't punch kids in school."  
  
"What if they tease me?" asked Merlina. Jera sighed. Merlina had inherited the fighting spirit of her father.  
  
"OK, give them ten chances. Then you can hit them. But don't break any bones." said Jera.  
  
"Fine, I promise." said Merlina.  
  
"Next, you won't use your magic on people in a harmful way." said Jera.  
  
"But what if they tease me?" asked Merlina once more.  
  
"Same thing as before. Ten chances and no broken bones."  
  
"OK!" said Merlina chirpily.  
  
"That's it. Now behave, OK?" asked Jera as she kissed her forehead.  
  
"No problem!" said Merlina. "Where's my lunch???" Jera handed her a basket. It had a closed lid so that she wouldn't accidentally spill her food. "Yeah!"  
  
"OK, Sherri is taking you to school. Have a fun day, and remember, be nice, and wait for Sherri to take you home!"  
  
"No problem, mommy!" said Merlina. She grabbed Sherri's hand and dragged her along. "Let's go, Sherri! We're going to school!" The forty year old nurse maid laughed and ran with Merlina. Jera stood up and sighed. She ran her fingers through her bright red hair. Merlina was such a kid. Hopefully, she'd find some friends. It'd be hard though. Known as the witch doctor of the town just because she specialized in black was not the nicest thing to be called. She went up to her room to get ready for the day of chores ahead of her.  
  
Elsewhere...  
  
"Xellos!" cried a lady. No answer. "Xellos!!! You come down right now!"  
  
"I'm coming!" shouted a sullen voice. The owner of said voice soon walked down the stairs. He was wearing black pants and black shirt and black shoes and socks.  
  
"What happened this time?" asked the lady.  
  
"Nothing, mom," he said, his purple eyes staring innocently at his mom. She ruffled his purple hair.  
  
"Goodness, why do you want to wear all black for your first day of school?" she asked.  
  
"Cause I don't want to go to school!" he said. "I want to stay home and learn magic."  
  
"Later, Xellos." said the mother, Mrs. Kyuzan. "Xellos look at me." She got to his level and looked into his eyes.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Promise me you'll behave." she said. "We can't have the richest kid in town acting like a snob, OK?"  
  
"OK." he said.  
  
"That means that you'll be nice to your classmates." she said.  
  
"As long as they leave me alone."  
  
"And that means not treating any of them like a slave, 'k?" asked Soraya  
  
"But..."  
  
"But nothing... treat them nicely..."  
  
"OK, I'll try," he said sullenly.  
  
"Thank you dear." she said. She kissed him on the forehead. He quickly wiped it off.  
  
"Mom!" he said. "I'm six already! You don't have to kiss me no more..." Soraya smiled.  
  
"Danet!!!" she shouted. Xellos winced. His mom had a very loud voice. A man walked out of the shadows.  
  
"You called, mistress?" he asked.  
  
"Take Xellos to school." she said.  
  
"Yeah, come along." said Xellos as he walked off, not turning back to see if Danet was following or not.  
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Danet, on letting Xellos go to the public school.  
  
"He has to learn to not be so proud or selfish. I was hoping this would help him. Hopefully, it will. Now, run after Xellos before he gets lost."  
  
"Yes mistress." he said, and ran after Xellos.  
  
Merlina skipped happily, her arm swinging around her basket that happened to contain her lunch. It was such a pretty day! And she had a big lunch! And she would meet new people! And she had a big lunch! Yeah, all that stuff and more! Sherri smiled as she pushed her brown hair behind her ear. Merlina was such a cute little girl, always with a cheery smile on her face. But when she got mad... She had an inane ability to all of a sudden get very quiet, and her eyes would narrow dangerously. Such an old look for one so young! It was that same look that had started the rumors that now surrounded Merlina and her mother. Hopefully, her classmates wouldn't let that get in the way of becoming friends with her. Hopefully...  
  
Looking to the side, she spotted a man walking behind a little boy with purple hair. The man was taller than she was but from his clothes, she recognized him as the valet to the Kyuzan family, one of the top five richest families in Zephyria. Danet steered his little charge in the direction of Sherri. Sherri was a very respected midwife, and was also the nephew of his older brother, so they were related in a way.  
  
"Morning, Sherri!" he said politely as he walked beside her. Xellos walked ahead of them and Merlina, looking proud and important. "Morning, Ms. Merlina."  
  
"Good morning!!!" said Merlina with a huge smile, her ruby eyes glowing. Danet stared at her eyes before he looked questioningly at Sherri. She shook her head. Merlina, meanwhile, hadn't noticed and had skipped ahead to talk with the new kid. She'd show Sherri that she could be very nice to people.  
  
"Hello! My name is Merlina! What's yours?" she asked in a cheerful tone. Xellos kept on walking and didn't even spare her a glance. "Hey! I said Hi!"  
  
"I do not talk with peasants." said Xellos, sticking his nose in the air.  
  
"If you do that or bother me nine more times you're going to get hurt," she warned him, saying it loud and clear, so that in case she had to beat the boy up, Sherri would know she had followed her mom's instructions.  
  
"As if," he snorted. "You are just a lowly servant girl. How can you harm me?" Merlina's eyes flared. "Besides, you're so scrawny. Doesn't your mom give you enough to eat?"  
  
"Don't talk mean about my mom!" said Merlina, indignantly. Sherri whispered something to Danet. Danet nodded.  
  
"Master Xellos." he said. "It would be to your advantage to not criticize Ms. Merlina." Xellos ignored him.  
  
"I'm just trying to be friends!" said Merlina to Sherri. "It's not my fault the idiot can't be civil!"  
  
"Why would I need to be civil to you?" asked Xellos. Merlina glared at him and then looked at Sherri.  
  
"I don't care how many times he's insulted me and mommy. I'm gonna Fireball him! FIREBALL!" she shouted. A flare of burning fire appeared in her hand and it flew directly at Xellos. Xellos just humphed, and moved his hands.  
  
"Shield." he said calmly, and impudently at Merlina. Merlina stared.  
  
"How did you do that?" she asked.  
  
"I know White Magic, idiot. You're stupid attacks can't touch me." Merlina saw red. She ran towards him, her hand forming another fireball.  
  
"Fireball!" she shouted again. Xellos cast the shield calmly, but he didn't see her jump kick at him. It hit him in the face and he fell. "Take that, you idiot!" she said. She banged her lunch basket on his head for a good measure and then left. "Come on Sherri." she said. Sherri smiled apologetically at Danet, who sighed and went to pick Xellos up.  
  
"I hope I never have to see that tomboy again..." he muttered.  
  
Once at school, he saw to his horror that the fiery red-headed girl was there... He went quietly to his desk and sat down. Hopefully, he wouldn't have any classes with her. Too bad for him... all his classes were with her...  
  
Merlina was feeling OK... Sherri hadn't lectured her, and she had found lots of friends! School was so fun! Of course, she could do with out that Xellos kid. Hmph... he couldn't even defend himself against a simple jump kick. What a weakling. But he knew white magic, something her mom had said she'd never be able to learn for some reason... or at least, have lots of difficulty learning.  
  
The next day, she ran to school, so excited was she to see her new friends again.  
  
"Hello Laira!" she said to a certain blond haired girl. The girl looked at her with scared eyes, and answered her meekly.  
  
"Oh... hello, Merlina." she said softly. The others around them stood hushed and waited to see what would happen. Xellos stood off to the side. He had run to school, to be there before her and have time for himself, but she came in three seconds later.  
  
"Um... what's wrong?" asked Merlina, noting the hesitation in her friend. "Is something wrong, Laira?"  
  
"Not really." she said, and with that, she walked away. Merlina stood there, not quite understanding what had just happened. Xellos frowned. He hadn't quite understood what had happened either.  
  
"Hey, Rosa!" said Merlina as she ran to a black haired girl she had befriended. "What's the matter with Laira? She looks sad." Rosa looked at her with unreadable eyes. She sighed.  
  
"You're the problem, Merlina." she said calmly.  
  
"Did I do anything wrong? How can I fix it?" she asked, concerned. Rosa hesitated. This was harder than she had expected.  
  
"Mom said not to talk to you because you're the witch's daughter." she said slowly. Most of the girls nodded their heads. "So that's that." She left, and with her, left a bunch of other girls. Xellos was astonished... no wonder she was so strong... that would explain her weirdness. Well, he was going to stay away from her also, even though,... he really wanted to learn how to that flying kick she did the other time. But anyway, anyone who was related to a witch was to be looked down upon. Now, that, he could do. Merlina's eyes were widened in surprise as she registered the words in her mind.  
  
no...her mommy wasn't a witch... she was nice... they were lying!... but now her friends had left...  
  
Two silver tears dropped from her eyes. Her little fists clenched in despair and anger. It wasn't fair... why did they hate her? How could they speak so meanly of her mommy? She felt anger take control of her. She quickly ran outside to a nearby park. There, with a cry of anguish, she let go of all the anger she felt in her, in the form of a huge blast of black magic. The immediate area around her went up in flames only to be doused seconds later with a water based spell. She looked up and saw her mother flying through the air.  
  
"Mommy..." she whispered silently. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to loose control..." She sniffled.  
  
"Hush, dear..." whispered Jera as she landed in front of Merlina and hugged her. Merlina cried and hugged her back. Jera's presence, and Merlina's explosion, caused many to circle them. Jera looked up, her black eyes flashing.  
  
"What happened here?" she asked guardedly. No one would look her in the eye. Merlina sniffed. Slowly, ever so slowly, the crowd left, until the only one there was Xellos, Merlina and Jera.  
  
"What happened?" asked Jera to the kid.  
  
"She got mad and blew up the park." he said solemnly.  
  
"I know that." sighed Jera. "Could you tell me why she got mad?" Xellos stopped for a moment.  
  
"Her friends left her today, and said that they didn't like her because she was a witches daughter." he looked at her, daring her to say anything different.  
  
"It's true I practice only Black Magic, since I am unable to learn White Magic," she said. "But trust me, I am no witch. Witches are those who poison people's minds caused by the fear of something they don't know or care to understand." She picked up Merlina and teleported them back to their home. Xellos stood there, not quite sure how to take it. His mother was right. Witches were tricky. They would twist your mind and you'd be swayed to their side, if you weren't careful. But something about that woman's eyes. He turned and went back to school.  
  
The next day, Merlina was back in school. Her eyes were guarded, and she seemed like a different child. Her red eyes didn't look at anyone, not even the teacher. A dramatic change had come over her. Gone was the cheery little girl wearing bright dresses. Her hair was still in it's little braids, but she wore a simple, black dress. Over that, she wore a black cloak. She looked so like Xellos that his friends started to tease him about it. She didn't talk to anybody, but to the teacher. And only in a clipped voice and if she was reciting the lesson.  
  
The years passed, and the children grew. Some left town, but most of them stayed. Merlina and her mom stayed, they had a nice little business, though not many acknowledged to go to the witch for services. As the years passed, Merlina and Xellos grew. Merlina had begun to learn more black magic, though she never tried white. Her mother had had a deep talk with her that one day she had blown up the park. Being a half-mazoku wasn't the easiest thing to understand, but she had her father's intelligence. She quickly leapt to the top of the class, becoming the most advanced, tied in place with Xellos.  
  
One day, during fifth grade, Merlina came in. Her eye was bruised and she was limping. But she looked happy. She and Jera had just had a training session, and well, casualties are to be expected. What surprised the kids was that she handed out notes to almost all the kids there, to be given to their parents. They looked surprised at her, loosing their ability to speak when they noticed a sly smile on her face. Many wondered, but they dutifully took their notes to their parents. Their parents had looked worried. They were ordered to treat Ms. Merlina with respect. Treat the witch's daughter with respect? Whatever for? But the parents didn't explain. So she grew up, un-bothered, given time to learn her black magic and her martial arts.  
  
Xellos, on the other hand, grew to be one of the town's greatest white mages. He knew many white magic healing spells, shields and a wide variety of shamanist magic. He was one of the brightest students in the school. Many came to him when they didn't understand their lessons. He was above everything. He hadn't lost his cool, he hadn't lost his cold attitude toward people. He was a loner by nature, not by circumstance like Merlina was. He was in control. Which was why he was surprised when Merlina came to him, handing him a note.  
  
"What's this?" he asked, not even looking at her or at the note she had left beside his books.  
  
"A note, from my mother to yours." she said softly. He looked up suspiciously. He watched amazed as her smile grew. "Just give it to her. Your mom knows." She turned and left, her black cloak trailing behind her. Xellos looked at the note for his mother. He stuffed into his black pants. He had always liked black, and recently had started to like purple and gold also. His cloak was black also, but it had gold trim. His shirt was purple. He was the only white mage in the town to wear black.  
  
That afternoon, he went to his mother, wanting to confront her with the note. He handed it to her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she snatched the note.  
  
"Where did you get this from?" she asked faintly. She stared at the familiar handwriting.  
  
"Merlina gave it to me." he said coolly. "May I ask why the witch is sending you a note?"  
  
"Did you read it?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"No," he lied easily. The news on the note had shocked him. He wanted to know from his mother that it wasn't true. Of course, it looked like the note was true...  
  
"I sent her a chicken pie the other day, since it was her birthday. You know, be nice, even to the magical minority." she said. Had it not been for the fact that Xellos had read the note, he would have believed her. Zephilia was a basically white magic city. A small bit of black, totally supplied by Merlina and Jera. Xellos looked at her and nodded.  
  
"Good night." he said. "Do you want to send them a note back?" There might be a chance that he had misread the silly note. Of course, the words, 'Your appointment is set for tomorrow at lunch." where hard to misinterpret. Could his mother really be seeing the witch?  
  
The years passed again. Merlina and Xellos were both sixteen. They were born on the same day, and the school had always had a dilemma in celebrating birthdays. They usually celebrated the student's birthday. But if they set a party for the two, only Xellos would get the gifts, and Merlina would be ignored. They didn't want to seem biased or anything, so they celebrated birthdays in a different way. The birthday girl/boy got an A in that day's homework, although neither Merlina, or Lina as she was sometimes called, nor Xellos needed it. And the years passed.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES  
  
Hello! You like it? I hope so! I see so many stories of Lina's past, but not many of Xellos's. Just in case, I'm a Xellos and Lina 2gether 4ever fan. Merlina, is the past version of Lina, if you didn't get that. ^^  
  
Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Comments and Criticism welcome, as usual. Ideas also. Please drop a review. My plan is to explain Xellos's past and why he seems to have an attraction to Lina. I blame it on past life, although... Xellos didn't die. This is the story of how he became a Mazoku. I've heard rumors that Xellos used to be a white mage, or were they just tales invented to increase the irony in him. Whatever... I like it... hope you do too!  
  
Hotaru Kimiko Lai 


	2. Chapter 2

Once Upon a Time By Hotaru Kimiko Lai  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Merlina smiled as she woke up. Today was a very pretty day. The sun was shining, and there were a few clouds in the sky, and the birds were singing and flying in the air. It was a very nice reminder that today, she'd graduate. Yes, she, Merlina Quertwen, 16, was going to graduate from school. She had finished her studies in an accelerated manner, and the teacher had allowed her to graduate early. The ceremony thing would be that afternoon at sundown. Maybe it was because of her brains. Or more probably, to get rid of her. Not that she hated them for it. She knew she was cold with them. It was how she dealt with things. No one knew who she really was, what she was really capable of doing, other than her mother, Jera. Her mother, now there was a lady she really respected. Her mother was strong, emotionally, and physically. Her mother wasn't weak or scared. She had known the consequences for loving a Mazoku and had loved anyway, even if it meant having to leave her house in Seyruun. Even if it meant your very best friend deserting you and trying to hang you. Her mother was strong. She smiled and stood up. It was also her birthday today! It was so neat! She took her old staff, one she had cut from wood, and was about to practice, when her eye spotted something. Her eyes widened.  
  
Elsewhere... two voices were speaking...  
  
"How are you doing?"  
  
"I've been OK."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course. How about you? It's so wonderful to see you again."  
  
"I missed you too. I missed both of you terribly. But don't tell anyone I said that."  
  
"Of course. You are always so stoic."  
  
"You too!" Pause. "About tonight..."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I can handle it."  
  
"I know you can. Sometimes, though, I don't know how I can."  
  
"Dear, you're so sweet! We can do it, together."  
  
"Are you going to tell her?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Aren't you worried she'll try to stop you?"  
  
"No. I'll cast an Erase on her. Tomorrow she'll know."  
  
"Speaking about her, how is she?"  
  
"Wonderful. She's a real blessing."  
  
"Tell me about her."  
  
"Her eyes are like twinkling rubies. She reminds me so much of you."  
  
"Go on..."  
  
"Her hair is a brilliant red."  
  
"Like yours."  
  
"Like the color of spilt blood?"  
  
"You know I was just kidding when I said that."  
  
"I know, but I like to tease you. Yes, like mine. She's a born fighter. Her black magic skills are wonderful. It's beautiful watching her in action."  
  
"Continue, please? She sounds like a great kid."  
  
"Yes, she is. She knows how to handle the sword and staff. And her appetite is as big as mine."  
  
"And you still have a house? Amazing!"  
  
"Yes, dear... stop laughing!"  
  
"Sorry. Continue."  
  
"And she's obedient. She also has your cunning, your slyness, your intelligence,... She's like a female version of you."  
  
"Don't cry. Everything will be all right." Silence for some time. "I have to leave now."  
  
"Now? So short? After years of not seeing you, I only see you for a few minutes?"  
  
"I'm sorry, dear. I wish I could change things around. But you are worried. You normally aren't as, open as today."  
  
"Yes, I'm worried. About her."  
  
"Is there anything I could try to do? What are you worried about?"  
  
"I had you to hold me together when times got rough. She doesn't have anyone."  
  
"Introverted? Antisocial?"  
  
"No, lonely. She knows she's different from everyone else. She holds it up well, she doesn't break easily. But sometimes, I catch her staring into nowhere, looking so empty... almost..."  
  
"Hon, you know that we are loners."  
  
"Yes, but she's also human. She also needs friends."  
  
"I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Please. And take care of her. You two are the ones I love the most. I don't care about anyone else..."  
  
"Hush now. Everything's gonna be all right. So, take care."  
  
"Good bye, Merlin."  
  
"Good bye, Jera."  
  
And the voices stayed silent.  
  
Later that morning, Merlina waltzed into the kitchen. Jera was there, cooking up a storm known as breakfast.  
  
"Morning, mom!!!" said Merlina happily. She had on a huge smile.  
  
"Morning, Merlina!" said Jera. She turned to see her and stared. Merlina was outfitted in a dark red, almost maroon colored dress. The darkness emphasized the brightness and life of her crimson hair and eyes. It was a simple dress, with a lace trim. Around her neck were two pieces of lace, one in gold and the other in ruby. The lace was different, since you couldn't tell any pattern from just seeing it. That lace style was found on the trim of her skirt also.  
  
"Mom, I love it!" she cried as she hugged Jera.  
  
"Hon, it looks great on you, but I didn't give it to you." said Jera with a secret smile.  
  
"So, who gave it to me? Sherri?" asked Merlina. But Sherri had left them about a year and a half ago.  
  
"Your father, who else?" said Jera with a smile.  
  
"..." said Merlina.  
  
"Sit down and have breakfast. After that, we'll talk." said Jera. Merlina nodded and sat down. During breakfast, the two were quiet, concentrating on getting their portion of breakfast before the other beat them to it. Jera watched Merlina during the whole meal. She had been quiet, and there was a dazed look in her eyes. She was operating on cruise control, her hands doing what they usually did, but Merlina wasn't actually doing it. Breakfast finished, dishes washed and put away, Jera motioned for Merlina to follow her to her room Merlina stood and went.  
  
Once up there, Jera sat down and smiled.  
  
"You heard right, Merlina, that's from your dad." she said. "Now, tell me, what do you know about him?"  
  
"Um, you said he was a Mazoku, one of the higher ones." said Merlina, her eyes focusing on her mother. "You said that you met him while trying to gather herbs in a forest near Seyruun. He was fishing near a brook and you didn't know he was a Mazoku until you checked his magic aura. And you tried to kill him for many months, and he'd come and tease you. You fell in love, he did too, and you got married secretly. Then he had to leave to obey his master. He rarely visits... That's about it."  
  
"Well, you got most of it." said Jera with a smile. "But, there was one part I left out. Before we got married, I left Seyruun to go adventuring. As you know, my family was a white magic family, no black. And we were the keepers of what is known as the Sword of Light. As it was, I was the eldest child, and most proficient at white, so the Sword of Light was handed down to me, with me promising, that the Mazoku's would never get it."  
  
"And you gave it to dad?" asked Merlina.  
  
"No," said Jera. "I never gave it to him. I didn't even let him touch it, and he understood. The Sword of Light was my last tie with my family. I left home with nothing but the Sword and him to go adventuring. This was after telling him I loved him. He loved me too, but Mazokus have trouble with that. So, we went adventuring and it was fun. I never knew that I'd marry him. After all, Mazokus don't love, and they certainly don't marry mortals. Especially, white magic mortals. So, we considered our adventures our long dates, you could say. Anyway, he had a staff. It was an ancient staff, given to him by his master the day he was created. When he left, he gave it to me. And I pass it on to you. That dress is his present to you. You have come of age to rise to your heritage." She stood up and motioned her closet. "Lock break." she said. A click was heard and the door opened. From within the closet, came two objects wrapped up in black velvet. One of the bundles opened and from within it, came a simple scabbard, with a dull looking pommel sword.  
  
"This is the Sword of Light." said Jera. "Handed down from generation to generation, to the strongest White Mage in my family. And I hereby pass it on to you, Merlina Quertwen. May you use it's strength and magic wisely." The sword fell in Merlina's hands.  
  
"But..." said Merlina before Jera interrupted her. With a flick of her wrist, the other cloth fell off the staff it had been hiding.  
  
"This is the Staff of Death." said Jera. "Created by Beastmaster herself, this staff embodies wickedness and evilness into a mundane staff. Let not its wickedness tempt you, my Merlina. Do not fall into the trap of evil. Use it sparingly, use it wisely, daughter of Dark and Light." The staff came to rest in Merlina's other hand.  
  
"Use it wisely, my daughter, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. Let not the Staff's stone ever be tinged with black. Let not the Swords brilliance ever be dulled, Keeper of the Two Worlds." finished Jera. Her eyes had been closed, and now they opened and looked at Merlina warmly. "They are yours. Do with them as you wish."  
  
"But mother... I don't know White magic!" said Merlina, not quite believing what was happening.  
  
"That doesn't mean it's impossible. I know I always tell you to stay away from it, but truthfully, I want you to experiment and try to master it. You are, after all, daughter of one of the greatest beginning White Mages in Seyruun, you know."  
  
"Mother!" whined Merlina. "I'm not joking. I can't have this." She tried to give back the sword. Jera put in back into her hand.  
  
"It matters not. For you are the keeper of the Sword." said Jera. "OK, OK, I made up the ceremony. I don't know what is going to happen, I don't know how you'll turn out. I'm giving you both options. Turn to the Light, turn to the Dark, stay in the Middle. But whatever you do, you are my daughter. I forced this decision on you, and it was not my intention to do so. I will respect your choice, Merlina dear. But you must choose." Jera hugged her. "I will always love you."  
  
"Mom..." said Merlina quietly. She looked at her staff and her new sword. After a while, she asked. "Mother, you asked about keeping them white. How?"  
  
"The staff and sword are reflections of your actions. Or of the owner's actions. You can decide to pass the sword or staff to someone else. But keep in mind, the staff is Mazoku made. The jewel on the staff used to be blood red, as a testimony to all Mazokus of all the life that had been shed, all the death it had caused. So for every dark intentioned thing you use it, it will get slightly darker. The same with the Sword. Although it's a Sword of Light, it is the wielder who decides the real name of the Sword, be it Sword of Vengeance, Death, Destruction, or of Light, Hope, Joy. I pray you'll keep your heart and your weapons white, my Merlina, but that is hard, and may not even be your choice. They are in your hands to use as you see fit."  
  
"Thank you, Mother...." said Merlina. She put them down and hugged her mom.  
  
"Now, one more thing I have to tell you." said Jera. She took out a crystal ball, with strands of red, blue and yellow dancing inside. Merlina looked up and the world went black.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina smiled as she heard her mother speak to her.  
  
"Really? I can just call their name and everything????" she asked. Her mother smiled and nodded.  
  
"Of course." she said. "After all, we'll be leaving, and they can consider it a small parting present from us."  
  
"I'll do my best to make sure they remember us!" said Merlina with a wicked smile on her face. Jera smiled at her. Her daughter could be quite, tricky,.... devious, when the time called for it. "I'll go now, and make sure they are delivered." She picked up the basket of letters and ran out of the house, her black cloak flapping behind her.  
  
*****  
  
There were many people in the small market. After all, everyone had to shop. And Merlina was there on a mission. She looked at one of the letters and giggled. She stopped at the fruit vendor and asked in a very serious tone of voice.  
  
"Excuse me, I have a question." she said. The vendor looked at her guardedly. The whole town knew who she was. It was easy to tell, all you had to do was look at her piercing red eyes.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"May I have an apple?" she asked innocently. He gave one to her and she paid him. He was about to tend to other customers, but her voice stopped him. "Oh, and I have a letter for your wife on behalf of my mother." He froze. The others at the stall froze. Merlina pretended to be innocent.  
  
"From your mother?" he asked softly. He was wishing the rest of the customers would go away...  
  
"Yes." said Merlina. "She said to tell her that her appointment tomorrow had to be canceled and here is the letter." She took a white envelope from within the folds of her cloak and gave it to him. He hesitantly took it. "OK, got to go now! Hope you have a nice day!" And she left to go to her next victim. Around her, she could hear bits of people's whispered conversations as the gossip began.  
  
"Did you hear her?"  
  
"The fruit grocer's wife goes to that... witch?"  
  
"Well, I always thought so, she is so dreadfully superstitious..."  
  
And so on and so forth. For a while, it had been fun. The shock on their faces had been quite, exhilarating to see. She knew she was one of the few to know the dark side of many very respectable ladies in the town. So nice, and white on the outside, but they still came to her mother for services, and would still dare to mock her mother. But as the letters left her hands to be given to others, Merlina found herself becoming solemn. She suddenly realized that although she hated them for being hypocrites, she found herself getting sadder. She would be glad to leave the town and all it's hypocrisy behind. She had one more letter left. She sighed, and started off to the biggest house in the town.  
  
*****  
  
*knock, knock, knock*  
  
Mrs. Soraya Kyuzan looked up from her afternoon tea with other ladies in town.  
  
"Xellos, be a dear and see who's at the door, OK?" she asked. Xellos gladly stood up and bowed to them before leaving. Truth be told, he had been thinking up an excuse to get out of there. There was nothing worse than to sit with a bunch of ladies and here them talk about useless stuff. So, he was very glad to leave the stuffy room, the hard tea biscuits and the too sweet tea. Bleugh. He opened the door and came face to face with Merlina.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked her. Merlina looked at his eyes. He really didn't like her. Not that she minded. But she just realized how much he hated her. OH well. She was tired of doing this. The fun had long gone. So she was frank with him. Besides, she knew that he knew his mother visited the Witch.  
  
"I have a letter for your Mother, form mine." she said. "I know she's in a meeting now, so I'll give it to you. Give it to her on my behalf when she isn't busy. Oh, and have a nice day." She handed him the letter and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait." he said as he stared at the letter and then at Merlina's back. "Hey, I said wait!" "What do you want?" she asked, her back still turned to him.  
  
"I just want to know something." he said.  
  
"Graduation is at sundown at the school." she said. Xellos was another that was graduating early.  
  
"No, I don't mean that." he said.  
  
"Well, then? I don't have all day, if you must know. I have many things to do." she said. Her back was still facing him.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Why what?" she asked.  
  
"I know you could have talked to her know in front of everyone and given her the letter." he said.  
  
"Yeah, I could have." she said. There was a sad smile on her face.  
  
"Well, why didn't you?" he asked.  
  
"Sore wa himitsu desu." she said. And she left the house. Xellos looked down at the letter. He turned around and went into the house, closing the door behind him.  
  
*****  
  
"Mother?" asked Xellos. The ladies had left and his mother was in her room, combing her hair.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked. She selected a shell comb to put into her hair and started to fix it.  
  
"Remember when someone knocked at the door this afternoon?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, who was it? You didn't come back."  
  
"I was thinking. Anyway, it was Merlina Quertwen." he said. He was forcing himself to use a casual tone. His mother's hands froze for a moment before she turned around.  
  
"And what did she want?" she asked.  
  
"She told me to give you this." he said. He threw the letter at her. She snatched it from the air.  
  
"Thank you for giving this to me." she said, trying to act calm. She hoped that he would leave so that she could read her letter.  
  
"She said to give it to you latter." he said.  
  
"What a responsible girl." said Soraya, not really meaning what she was saying.  
  
"And I asked her why not give it to you just then?" continued Xellos.  
  
"She must have known that I was busy... She's the witches daughter, Xellos. They have ways to know these things. You shouldn't be surprised." "And you know what? She told me 'Sore wa himitsu desu.' I looked it up. It means that it was a secret." said Xellos. He was staring past his mother.  
  
"Oh." she said. "My, such a linguist.'  
  
"And you know, I think she knew what was in the letter." said Xellos.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And I was wondering. She had the perfect opportunity to embarrass you in front of everyone, you know?"  
  
"And where did you get that idea from?" asked Soraya.  
  
"I was just thinking." said Xellos. He looked at his mother and then left.  
  
"I'll let you read the letter in peace now." he said over his back. The mother frowned and when he was gone, began to read the letter. When she finished, she crumpled the letter and then threw it into the wastepaper basket. So, the witches thought they could get away with this? Well then,... she'd have to make sure they didn't.  
  
*****  
  
"Mother! I'm back!" shouted Merlina as she went into their home.  
  
"I'm in the kitchen!" said the mother. Merlina ran in.  
  
"What ya doing?" she asked.  
  
"I'm making something for the Graduation Party tonight." said Jera with a smile.  
  
"We're going?" asked Merlina. "Must we?"  
  
"Well, it would be polite of us to say good-bye to everyone, you know." said Soraya. She was kneading something.  
  
"I guess." said Merlina.  
  
"Now, go and get ready for the Ceremony. Why don't you wear that new dress you have?"  
  
"Yeah! I'll do that!" said Merlina. She hugged her mom and ran to her room. Jera smiled at her retreating form and then went back to making the dough for some small cakes.  
  
*****  
  
The graduation ceremony was finished. There were a total of 12 students graduating, Xellos and Merlina included. After the graduation, there was a small party for the Graduates at the Kyuzan's home. Merlina and Jera walked to the house.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Merlina. She was worried. Her mother had been very calm and quiet.  
  
"Sure of what?" asked Jera.  
  
"Of going." said Merlina. "I mean, it's not like we're welcome or anything."  
  
"Oh come on." said Jera teasingly. "It's not that bad." She was carrying the cakes.  
  
"Well.... I think it is." said Merlina. "I don't like it. I don't like their house."  
  
"OK,' said Jera. "You don't have to go, but I have to."  
  
"How come?" asked Merlina.  
  
"It's about the letter I sent to Mrs. Kyuzan." said Jera. "Professional matters."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Yeah. You go ahead and go home, OK?" said Jera. "I'll see to business, leave the cakes and then leave."  
  
"OK." said Merlina. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah." said Jera. "Don't worry. Everything's taken care of."  
  
"OK." said Merlina. "And... I'm sorry. It's just that I don't feel too comfortable about it."  
  
"Don't worry." said Jera. She hugged her daughter tightly to her. "It's going to work out. And remember to sleep. The trip will be long."  
  
"OK. I'll probably sleeping when you come back then." said Merlina. And the two parted ways, Merlina not realizing that she wouldn't see her mother the next morning.  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Author's Notes... OK, what do you think? I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out. The next one might also, but don't worry. I will keep on working on it. Anyway, reviews are specially welcome. I really want to thank you all for reading this little thing. Hope I haven't disappointed you.  
  
Take care!  
  
Hotaru 


	3. Chapter 3

Once Upon a Time by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer I don't own Slayers. I am just borrowing them to tell a story... ^.^ Anyway, please don't sue or kill me. Thank you very much.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Merlina woke up very early. She sat up in bed and gave a huge yawn. Then she just sat there. Her mother should have woken her up already. Thoughts about her mother triggered the lock that her mother had cast on her yesterday. And in a rush, everything her mother had said yesterday that she couldn't remember rushed back to her. And Merlina looked straight ahead: the only evidence of emotion being two diamond tears falling from her eyes.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos woke up. He had a splitting headache. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of his room. Why did he have such a huge headache? Oh yeah... last night. Some idiot had started to sing really loudly, and a few of the guests had been slightly on the drunken side. He had to go and help them get home all night long, walking them towards their homes. How... annoying. So, he had finally gotten home and decided that he could care less about the festivities and went to sleep.  
  
He stood up and stretched slowly. He opened the curtains and saw that it was a cloudy day. It also looked like it would rain. He got dressed and fixed himself and then went downstairs to see if breakfast was done yet. Once down, he looked about him... he froze.  
  
*****  
  
Later on in the day,  
  
Merlina Quertwen was walking through the forests. It was raining very lightly, but she didn't care. The rain fit her mood quite well. It would fit her mood even better if there were some lightning, thunder and a flood of some sort. Oh, and a strong fire somewhere. Must not forget a huge and devastating fire.  
  
She was wearing very simple clothes and over it, she wore her black cloak, the hood drawn up. Her feet were in warm, sturdy and comfortable boots that kept the water off. She was warm, but she didn't care about that either. Her belongings were in a satchel hidden under her cloak. The Sword of Light, was at her hip, the Jeweled Staff in her hand. All in all, she was prepared. She could take on anyone who came to her. And she had a mission and a destination in mind. One of the things her mother had told her before locking it was to search for her father when she died. But to do that, she had to first get stronger to face her father. After all, father or not, Mazoku were hard to deal with. So, she was on a journey to the next town. All of a sudden she stopped. There was only the wet pattering of raindrops as they fell on the forest floor.  
  
"You can come out, you know." she said, seemingly to no one. There was a soft rustle behind her. "And now, be a good little boy and go away." She started walking once more. The footsteps hesitated before following her. Merlina stopped again. "I said, go away." It sounded harsh in the cold of the woods.  
  
"No." said the voice. "Not until you explain to me."  
  
"You're too curious for your own good, boy." she said. "I have nothing to say to you. For the last time, go away."  
  
"You know, you can't order me." said the boy, haughtily. "I order you to tell me."  
  
"We're not at the village anymore." said Merlina in the same voice. "Besides, what do you care?" She began to walk again, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.  
  
"Please.... tell me." said the voice. Merlina debated whether to brain him with her staff or to just cut off his head and get it over with. But she did neither. She found herself turning and looking at her schoolmate. Ruby eyes stared into amethysts.  
  
"What do you want to know." said Merlina, not really asking. "What makes you think I know what is going on?"  
  
"If there is anyone who knows, that would be you, I'd think." he said, with a small smirk. Merlina's face was set in stone. "Last night... what happened?"  
  
"You should know. Why rub my face in it?" asked Merlina coldly. "Or are you so blind to what is happening?"  
  
"OK, OK.,.. I know what happened." said Xellos. "That is why I'm here. I want to know why."  
  
"There is no reason why." said Merlina. "At least, no reasonable or logical one you'll like. Let's just say our mothers had some differences to settle." She started to leave. He walked beside her.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked. He looked forward. For the first time, Merlina noticed his attire. Although it was obviously made of finer cloth than hers, they looked about the same. That is, he was wearing traveling clothes. His black cape with purple lining covered a black clad priest. He wore a haversack, but held no weapon.  
  
"Not back." she said. She eyed him. "How come?"  
  
"Just to see if we are going the same direction. After all, it's better to travel in groups than by yourself." he said. He kept looking straight ahead. Merlina did too, her hand gripping her staff.  
  
"I don't need protection," said Merlina with a dry smile. "I can take care of anyone who comes my way."  
  
"Probably true." said Xellos. "But I know white. It's more efficient than using ointment." Merlina was silent. "Besides, so far, we are going the same way."  
  
"Why are you leaving?" asked Merlina.  
  
"For almost the same reason you are." said Xellos. "Well, I'm guessing."  
  
"You aren't leaving with the same reason I have." said Merlina. "Perhaps part, but not totally."  
  
"So, are we going to the next village?" he asked.  
  
"Who said anything about 'we'?" asked Merlina.  
  
"I did." said Xellos.  
  
"Well, get that out of your mind because there is no we. Now, I have a destination and you are in the way. Good day." said Merlina and she walked around him and walked off. Xellos sighed. He took off on another trail.  
  
That night, Merlina started to set up a small camp in a clearing she had found. She had just started to form a ring of stones for her fire. Suddenly, she heard a muffled voices off to her left. Immediately, she kicked the rocks away and tried her best to make the camp unsettled. She grabbed her bag and her staff and jumped up on a tree. Into view came three figures.  
  
"Look!" said the tallest one. "This seems like the perfect place for our camp!"  
  
"Perfect!" said the shortest one. He pulled the third figure and kicked him down. The figure landed with and 'umph'. "We can camp here and leave for the next town at daybreak."  
  
"And here's a tree to tie the kid to." said the tall one.  
  
"Good job." said the short one. He grabbed the other and lugged him to the tree where they started to tie him up. Merlina narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus on them. Whoever they were, they had gold and money, things she would need for her journey. And they seemed like crooks of some kind.  
  
"Yo, go and find something to eat!" said the short one. "I'll start us a nice warm fire. Won't that be nice, kid?" The one that was tied to the tree just groaned but didn't answer.  
  
"Sure boss!" said the tall one, and he left. Merlina smiled as a plan began to form in her head. She'd wait until they were together and she'd attack, and then, she'd take their treasure. Besides, this was her clearing.  
  
A few minutes later, the tall one returned with a rabbit he had killed. The fire was roaring nicely by then. They gutted it and skinned it, before they washed it a bit with water they had and began to roast it. The figure by the tree moved a bit.  
  
"Hey boss!" said the tall one. "Looks like the kid wants some."  
  
"Well, let him get his own." said the short one. And they laughed. The figure slumped. Merlina smiled. Perfect. They had even brought her supper. How considerate of them.  
  
The figure stared groggily at the two men. He had been walking and trudging after them for half the afternoon. And to say that he was hungry was underestimating him. He was starving, and tired and in a very bad mood. Problem was,... he couldn't really do much about it. His hands struggled vainly as they tried to loosen up the knots that bound his wrists together. He finally gave up and slumped in defeat. He was doomed, for sure. He looked up and saw them cook. He really wanted to eat. All of a sudden, a ball of light illuminated the whole area. He closed his eyes against the brightness. He heard pandemonium and chaos all around him and only hoped that he wouldn't be caught in any of the blasts that were flying around the whole camp. Finally, he heard a shout that seemed to dwindle. He opened his eyes cautiously. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a teenage girl with long hair in a braid dust off her hands and pants. To his surprise, she walked in calmly and methodically raided the bandit's loot. She took a stick of fried rabbit that was just right after all the fireballs that had flown around the place. He made a groaning sound to try to catch her attention. The girl looked up and then, he saw her eyes.  
  
Merlina looked up. Oh yeah, there had been a poor idiot who had gotten trapped by the silly bandits. Oh well, might as well free the poor kid. She walked there and then, her eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"It's... you again." she said. He couldn't really say much since he was gagged. She removed it and started to work on his bonds. When she couldn't get them untied, she muttered and took out a small blade from a secret pocket and sliced them.  
  
"Thank you." he said as he got up and rubbed his wrists to get the circulation going once more.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Duh!" he said. "What do you think?"  
  
"Oh well. I don't care." she said. She walked over to the bandit's belongings and methodically started to go through them to see if there was anything worth selling.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Xellos as he watched her.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked contemptuously. "Or did you also have a servant to look for you?" He flushed. There was a bit of silence. "Look. For your information, I am seeing if there is anything worth selling in here." Xellos was surprised. He hadn't expected her to be so... open about it.  
  
"But... that's wrong!" he said. "You can't go around stealing people's things!"  
  
"Says the kid who was just about to be sold into slavery by some bandits when they got to the next town." said Merlina. He bristled at the word... kid. She looked up and stared at him straight into his purple eyes. "Look, the world isn't a nice place to idiots who have no idea what they are doing and see walking into the woods as a walk in the town park with little signs telling you where you are included. Go on home. You will only get hurt out here." She found a gold watch and started to appraise it. Her hand grabbed a piece of roast rabbit on a stick and absently started to eat. Xellos found out that he was very hungry. The bandits had eaten his food. Fortunately, he hadn't brought anything of importance with him. As if reading his mind, Merlina threw a shish ka bob in his directing. "Catch." she said. He fumbled it but managed to catch it before it hit the ground.  
  
"Thank you." he said. He got closer to the fire and started to eat hungrily.  
  
"You can stay in the camp tonight." said Merlina. She had finished and indicated for him to keep on eating. "Once daylight strikes you can walk home. It's off to the east. Not many people will hit while in broad daylight."  
  
"I'm not going back." he said as he grabbed another stick and began to eat.  
  
"Don't be stupid." she said harshly. She unslung a pack she had on under her cloak and took out her staff and absentmindedly began twirling it. "You wouldn't survive a day out here. You belong in the city or a town."  
  
"How would you know?" he asked. "You can't say much about me. It's not like we ever had a decent conversation since the day I met you." To his surprise, he saw Merlina smile a bit, even though the smile was slightly on the bitter side.  
  
"How it all started, huh?" she said. "I remember that day. You were an obnoxious little kid." She looked at him and then smirked. "You still are."  
  
"Am not." he said. "You were the annoying brat who tried to fit in. You haven't succeeded yet by the way."  
  
"I know that. I'm not the clueless idiot who wanders for a picnic into the woods with out knowing how to defend themselves." she said.  
  
"Well, at least I'm not running away."  
  
"So why are you here?"  
  
"Cause I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Well, I already told you my answers. Too bad you're too stupid to understand."  
  
"Says the one who doesn't even try to understand what happened."  
  
"Jerk!"  
  
"Stupid!"  
  
"Spoiled brat!"  
  
"Violent!"  
  
"Coward!"  
  
They kept this up for a few minutes until they both ran out of names to call each other. They stared at each other and glared.  
  
"Well, you can stay here for the night if you want." said Merlina. "I'll keep watch. You sleep." She stood up and stretched and leaned against a tree.  
  
"Thanks." muttered Xellos. He took his cape and folded it so that it was like a thin mattress and covers. Merlina sighed.  
  
"You didn't even bring a bedroll?" she asked. "What in the world where you thinking of?" She sighed and walked over to where her belongings where thrown on the floor. After moving a few things aside, she threw a pack at him. "Here." The look on her face clearly stated, "Don't you dare say a thing."  
  
"Thank you." he said, doing the wise thing and not questioning. It was only later on that Xellos would think and realize that Merlina had eaten hardly anything and that she had kept watch the whole night.  
  
The next day dawned brightly on two figures. It was a crisp dawn, the air fresh from the light rain that fell the day before. Xellos woke up and stretched as he yawned.  
  
"Morning." said a feminine voice as he got up. That startled him and he quickly rubbed his eyes. His eyes focused on Merlina, who was boiling some water and roasting something.  
  
"Good morning." he said. He stood up and stretched some more.  
  
"Here's breakfast." She handed him some sticks with roasted meat on them. At his inquiring look she said, "Beef. I brought it with me."  
  
"Thanks." he said. He had been saying that a lot lately. More than he had said in a long time. But when dealing with Merlina, one started to feel awkward when no one talked, and Merlina wasn't one to strike up a conversation with people. Then again, she was probably used to being silent, what with everyone ignoring her like the plague.  
  
She kept an eye on the boiling water the whole time. As soon as it was ready, she took it off the fire and left it on a patch of earth to cool down. After breakfast was over, she cleaned up everything and put out the fire. Xellos folded up the bedroll and gave it back. She wordlessly took it.  
  
"You can go now." she said as she started to put her things away.  
  
"I was thinking last night." said Xellos, as if oblivious to her obvious hint.  
  
"Oh." she said. She kicked the stones that formed the fire ring and scattered the ashes.  
  
"And I decided that it was probably very dangerous to walk around by myself." said Xellos.  
  
"Wow, you're so smart. I can easily see how you also managed t graduate." she said sarcastically. She took out her sword and cleaned it to make sure it was in sterling conditions.  
  
"So, I was thinking... walking off by myself would probably cause me to get lost or get caught again." he continued. She put her sword in its sheath. "And I thought... what abilities do I have?"  
  
"None." said Merlina slightly under her breath. She brought up her staff that was at the base of her feet.  
  
"And the only one I could think off was that I know white magic, which means I can heal." said Xellos.  
  
"Wow, aren't you special." said Merlina sarcastically. She picked up her bag.  
  
"So, I decided that I was going to follow you." said Xellos.  
  
"Yeah.... WHAT????" screamed Merlina. "Nope, no way you're following me. I won't have you tagging along."  
  
"Why ever not?" asked Xellos. He picked up his bag and looked pretty ready to travel.  
  
"Because I said so." said Merlina. "And that's that." There was an understood 'Go Away.'  
  
"Well, I'm following you." said Xellos. "So come on. Where are we going?"  
  
"We aren't going anywhere." said Merlina, emphasizing the 'We". "I am leaving."  
  
"We are leaving then." said Xellos. "Well, that's a good idea. The earlier we start the sooner we get there. How smart."  
  
"Oh shut up." mumbled Merlina. She walked off. When she heard footsteps behind her, she made a Diem Wing and started to fly as fast as she could. Normally, she preferred not to fly as it wasted energies and you ended up missing quite a few things on the road, such as herbs and such, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Right? Right!  
  
She felt a magic inflection behind her and she grinned. So, he thought that he could keep up with her? She was planning on testing it.  
  
They flew the rest of the day, Merlina purposefully taking the most complicate passage through the woods, and leading him on a wild goose chase. She skipped Lunch, too preoccupied with keeping him lost. Finally, she had too stop. She was too tired to do anything else. She sat against a tree and got her breath as she controlled her speeding heart and tried to save her magical resources. Two minutes later, Xellos came crashing through the woods, his face all red and panting like crazy. There was sweat dripping from his face. He landed at her feet as he too struggled to catch his breath.  
  
"I see.... you made it..." said Merlina between deep breaths.  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos as he tried to stand up. To his surprise, he saw a pale and slender hand enter his view. He held her hand and she helped pull him up. "You... are the.... fastest flyer... I've seen..." he admitted grudgingly.  
  
"You too." said Merlina. Already, she was starting to feel better and more relaxed. She had to admit, she was impressed. She hadn't seen anyone with that much stamina except for her mother. Xellos let go of her hand and leaned against the tree also, standing beside her.  
  
"So, will you let me... accompany you?" he asked. He was breathing heavily, but doing better.  
  
"I guess." she said. She stretched and then began to walk, her staff appearing in her hand as she took it out from her cape. She walked a few steps and turned to look at him. "Well? Are you coming or not?" Xellos didn't need a second bidding and followed her.  
  
That night, two very tired people crashed in a camp that Merlina had hastily made. There was a cheery fire in the middle, and some meat being cooked over it. Merlina had told him to go straight ahead and she'd catch up with him. At first, he hadn't trusted her, but seeing her eyes, he asked no questions. Fifteen minutes later, she appeared from a few bushes carrying a dead rabbit. So that was what they were eating that night.  
  
"Man,... I'm so sore...." said Xellos as he sat down on a log. Merlina sat across from him.  
  
"Stretch." she said. She was putting away her knives and had packed up the rabbit fur.  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos as he looked at her. She sighed.  
  
"Lesson Number One." she said. "If you are going to follow me, there are some instructions you should learn. One of them is to stretch and walk out the stiffness after doing lots of walking or running. After using lots of magic, you eat lots to build up your lost energy. Understood?"  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos. When he still didn't do anything, Merlina realized that he had no idea how to stretch. So she stood up and started to stretch. Xellos imitated her.  
  
"You've never stretched before?" asked Merlina, a little surprised.  
  
"Well, I was never into sports and stuff." said Xellos keeping an eye on her. "I mean... in school, I just skipped it. Or if I did, it was small stuff. Definitely not walking fast the whole day after a grueling flight." Merlina nodded and continued. First arms, legs, back...  
  
"OK." she said. "That should do it. Now, have some to eat." They shared her bedroll that night. Merlina stayed up for the first watch while Xellos slept and then they switched so that Merlina could get some sleep also. And they wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassing thought of having to sleep together.  
  
The next day, as they were walking and munching on a few berries that Merlina had found, she began to talk, much to Xellos's surprise.  
  
"Xellos?" she asked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Out of curiosity..." she started. Then she shut up for a while before continuing.  
  
"Out of curiosity what?" asked Xellos. If Merlina had started the conversation, then he really wanted to know what it was about. It wasn't everyday that Merlina spoke first.  
  
"Nothing..." she said. "Don't worry about it." She looked straight ahead the whole time.  
  
"Well.. it must have been something that worries you since you hardly ever speak, yet you asked." said Xellos.  
  
"Very observant." said Merlina. But she didn't volunteer much information. A few minutes later, Merlina spoke again. "If you really want to know..."  
  
"Yes." said Xellos.  
  
"Well..." started Merlina. At that moment, it was woefully clear to Xellos that Merlina was really and truly a shy and pensive girl under the tough facade she usually wore. She blushed a bit and finally took a deep breath and spoke. "Howlongdidittakeyoutolearnwhitemagic?" And she could speak quickly when she was uncomfortable.  
  
"Um... run that by me again?" he asked. He smiled at her and tried to encourage her to take a calming breath without actually saying anything.  
  
"I was wondering... um... how long... did it... um... you know... take you to learn?" she asked. Xellos almost pretended he didn't know what she was talking about and ask, but he held himself in check. No need to antagonize the girl who he was traveling with.  
  
"White magic?" he asked, to make sure that was what she was speaking about. She nodded. He absently noted that she was beet red. "Well... not too long. I mean, the simple stuff took me about a week. Some spells are simple, like Shield, but the time you can keep it up depends on how strong and experienced you are." Merlina nodded and kept on looking ahead. "Why did you want to know?"  
  
"Cause." said Merlina, and once more, the mask had covered her face. And they kept on walking to the next city.  
  
End of Chapter Three  
  
Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy you guys like this story!!!!! *weeps with joy* Thank you all sooooooo much! Every time I got depressed I would read your reviews and I'd feel all smiley! ^^ Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and that it measured up to your standards. Any comments or criticisms are extremely welcome!!! So, if your mind tells you... "Look, she wrote a chapter! Maybe I should thank her with a review..." do so!!!! ^^ And if you hated it, feel free to yell at me. I can take it, as long as you tell me why. ^^ So, that's about it. Thank you all for reading!  
  
Hotaru 


	4. Chapter 4

Once Upon a Time A Slayers Fic by Hotaru "Aerocephalus" Lai ^.^ (Thanks SzeMing for the name! well...no not really.....*grin*)  
  
Disclaimer... characters not mine. BUT! the story is... ^^  
  
Chapter 4  
  
There comes a time, in everyone's life, when you wake up and realize that you can't make it by yourself in life. For some, it comes later in life. For others, a bit earlier. You usually realize it when something awful happens, like flunking a class (and you realize you need a tutor...) or when you're friends leave you (and you need new ones...) or when you're parents die or when you realize that life isn't as pretty and rose colored and simple as others say. That time had come for the two young adventurers as they left their home. Had they noticed that they got to the same point at the same time would have given them a clue as to what Fate had laid out for them... but they didn't notice, and Fate was left alone and unworried. As it was, both were so into their own thoughts, that it flew right over them.  
  
*****  
  
"Where are we going?" asked Xellos as he stopped a second, wiping the sweat of his brow. The afternoon sun was beating down hotly on him, and he felt the urge to take of his black cloak and then find a tree to rest under. He had seen Merlina carry her staff and seeing that she walked easier, he had gotten one also. Well, it had honestly been a semi thick branch, since he couldn't find anything else, and it still had had the twigs and other parts of a branch on it. The next day after that, he picked up his branch, only to realize that it had been trimmed and was much easier to handle. Merlina hadn't said a thing, and Xellos kept his questions to himself. The walk had become much easier with the staff, but he was still dead tired. Merlina, on the other hand, didn't look like she'd ever stop. Sure, she was panting also, but not as much, and she didn't look like as if she were dripping buckets of sweat.  
  
"There's a fork in the road a few minutes from here." said Merlina, without looking back to see if he was following nor stopping. Xellos sighed, looked yearningly at a nice big and shady tree at the side of the road and ran after her. "We'll decide when we get there." And they began to walk in silence once more. After a few minutes, just like Merlina said, there was a fork, splitting into three roads.  
  
"So, where to?" asked Xellos, quite curious.  
  
"I don't know." said Merlina. "Do I look all knowing to you?" There was an undercurrent of tension in her voice as she glared at him.  
  
"Sorry." said Merlina. He almost lost control and said 'You certainly act like it!' but he kept silent on that.  
  
"Depends what you want to do." said Merlina. "So choose."  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos. "Why me?" He pointed to himself, his violet eyes opening slightly in confusion.  
  
"Cause you're the one who wanted to follow me." said Merlina with a sigh.  
  
"So, that means I follow you." said Xellos.  
  
"No, not necessarily. Now, choose a path." said Merlina. She crossed her arms, raised her right eyebrow, and tapped her boot clad feet.  
  
"Why don't you?" asked Xellos. "After all, you were supposed to have a goal in mind." Merlina rolled her eyes and shook her head. Her hood was down and he could see her brilliant red hair float in the wind.  
  
"Fine, but don't come crying to me later when you don't want to stay in town." she said as she began her marching, taking the left fork. Xellos trailed after her. He found himself feeling a bit better. The break had given him some time to gather energy. "Besides, I was planning on going here anyway. I just wanted to see where you would go."  
  
*****  
  
"So, this is the place." said Xellos wearily as they made it to the top of a hill overlooking the town.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina. "It's called Tryyad. It's a small town. I don't know about you, but I'll be staying here for some time. Until...." She trailed off, looked thoughtfully at Xellos and then turned back to the road. "Let's go." Xellos felt puzzled. After being her classmate for so many years, he was starting to see different aspects of Merlina. First, there was the cold and uncaring Merlina during class. Then the respectful Merlina whenever she handed out notes carefully. Then there was the she Merlina whenever he tried to talk to her. And now, the quiet Merlina, when she didn't tell him anything. How many more facets were there that no one seemed to know about?  
  
"So, what do we do now?" he asked. Truth be told, he was confused and feeling awkward. He had wanted to follow her, who knows why? Maybe it was because he thought he could get answers from if he followed. She seemed to know so much and be so strong. In a way, he was starting to admire her. He had been astonished at what he had seen, but at least his mother was still alive, although that thought didn't give him too much joy. Her mother had died, because of his. And she hadn't given up. Yeah, he was following her to get answers he felt he needed to be able to continue, but he was also following her for a different reason. She was strong. He hoped to be able to learn from her strength.  
  
"You still following me?" she asked. Merlina stared into violet eyes. It was weird, having someone follow her. Sure, she had always been slightly on the independent side and was used to being her own boss. This was the first time, though, that someone was following her, willingly! What was it with him? Didn't he see that they'd probably be better off separate? She knew that every time he saw her, he would be reminded of his home, just like she was reminded of hers. They should be separate, lest they drive each other insane.... But as she looked at him, she didn't want to leave him either. No, there wasn't anything...*shudder* romantic or the such. It was just, that... well... she saw something else in him. Something that she had never thought to see in his eyes. There was confusion in those crystalline depths, and not just that, there were questions, there was a sense of stubbornness and also, there was a look of respect when he looked at her. Suddenly, she felt many years older than she was.  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos.  
  
"Let's go, then." she said. She tore her gaze away from the innocent look in his eyes and made a beeline to a part of the town. He hurriedly followed her, staff in hand, a relieved look on his face. He was glad that Merlina was taking care of things. He knew he'd be hopelessly lost and robbed before the hour was over, had he been left by himself.  
  
*****  
  
"This is where we'll stay." said Merlina. "And before you say anything. Yes, I know. It has a weird name." Xellos hurriedly shut his mouth. They were in front of an inn called THE RAT'S NEST and it had little furry creatures (mice, really) who were running about in yellow and white striped pajamas and carried candlesticks and wore little fluffy slippers and a warm cap.  
  
"Nice decor." he said, lamely. Merlina smiled.  
  
"Yeah." she said. "Come on. It's pretty good. Decent food and rates, and clean rooms and bathrooms." At the mention of rates, Xellos froze.  
  
'Oh no!' he thought to himself. He was so mad at himself. Obviously, it would cost money to rent the place. And like the idiot he was, he hadn't taken a single penny with him when he had left home. He was about to tell Merlina, but she had walked in already. She was already closing the deal when he came to stand beside her.  
  
"... OK." said the Attendant. "It's one room, one week, double meals a day. 200 copper pieces per night." She looked at Merlina.  
  
"And an extra cot." said Merlina with a smile.  
  
"And an extra cot." confirmed the Attendant. "That will be 50 more copper pieces for the whole week."  
  
"Total of 250." said Merlina. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a red velvet bag with a draw string made off yellow cord. She carefully counted the money and smiled as she received two copies of a key.  
  
"Here you go." she said as she turned to face Xellos and hand him the key.  
  
"Reimbursable on leave if you don't eat all meals as usual." said the attendant.  
  
"Um... sorry." said Xellos as he looked at Merlina. He was slightly taller than her. He bowed his head, feeling extremely bad.  
  
"Don't worry." said Merlina. Her eyes took on a far away gleam. "Let's go. It's a nice place. They'll put in the new cot by tonight." They walked up the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
It was night. Xellos stared at the ceiling above them. Merlina had been right. The place was nice and clean and presentable. It was hard to sleep. He was restless. It was his first time away from home. And he didn't like lying still. Normally, he'd be up and doing something, but Merlina was sleeping, and he wouldn't dare bother her. She had done so much already, and he didn't want to become a bigger nuisance. So, he concentrated on sleeping. He tried to count sheep. All he got a tremendous headache from counting balls of fluff that looked more like mice than sheep. (Drat his awful imagination, and all those pictures of mice around the place...) Finally, he accepted the inevitable. He couldn't sleep. Bleugh... All of a sudden, he heard something.  
  
It was so soft that he thought he was imagining it. But he wasn't. Someone was crying softly. He tried to locate the sound. Perhaps the 'neighbors"? No... he strained his ears and realized that it was coming from Merlina's bed. But that was impossible! She never cried... well except for that one time on that fateful first day of classes years ago. But during the school year, she never cried. Some of the meaner kids had coldly said that she wasn't human and because of that, she couldn't cry... But she could. He shuffled slightly in his covers, and immediately, the sound stopped. He was silent, but he had positioned himself in such a way that he could see her back under the covers. After a few minutes of silence, it started again. This time, Xellos knew it was coming from her. Her shoulders shook as she surpressed her sobs and tried to be quiet. And Xellos felt so helpless...  
  
*****  
  
The next day, dawned nicely. The sun was out and the clouds were white and fluffy, and Xellos yawned as he got up and stretched. He had finally gone to sleep last night, but it was long after Merlina's sobs had stopped. Thinking about her, he turned to see her, but saw that her bed was already made and that there was a note on the pillow with his name written in big, bold letters, lest he miss it.  
  
"Went out" it said, followed by, "I'll be back for supper."  
  
He sighed. OK, so she had gone out. Probably to think things through. So, what was he supposed to do for the rest of the day? It seemed as if Merlina had left it all into his hands. His stomach growled.  
  
"Might as well get breakfast." he told himself as he changed clothes and made himself presentable.  
  
*****  
  
That night, when he was eating supper in his room, Merlina walked in.  
  
"Hey." he said.  
  
"Hi." she answered. She looked very tired, and he couldn't help but notice that she had her staff and sword with her and walked with an odd limp.  
  
"How was your day?" he asked. After all, he wanted to be polite.  
  
"OK." she said. She looked at him for a bit as if debating something. Then she spoke. "Is the food good?"  
  
"Yes." said Xellos.  
  
"I'm glad." she said. She limped to her bed and fell on it, her red hair flaring out under her. She closed her eyes and rested. Xellos thought she was sleeping and was quiet. All of a sudden, she sat straight up, groaned and plopped back on the bed.  
  
"You OK?" he asked. He was starting to feel a bit worried.  
  
"No, I'm feeling pretty good. Just very tired." she said. After a while, she spoke again. "I was wondering, could you get me something to eat? I don't feel like walking now."  
  
"Sure." said Xellos. He took his plate down and in a few minutes, he was up with another plate of food. "Here you go." he said as he handed her the plate.  
  
"Thanks." she said. She leaned against the wall and ate hurriedly and hungrily. "I'll take it down in the morn." They were silent some more.  
  
"What did you do today?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Nothing too important." said Merlina. "I got some money by selling off the jewels the robbers had. That will give us another two weeks of rest here."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" asked Xellos, feeling slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Are your foot and back OK?" he asked. Merlina looked at him with a surprised look. "I mean, it's a bit obvious. Especially since I was trained in white magic and healing. So, I noticed... and you know... I mean, if you want, I can cast Recovery on you. You'll probably feel better." His words were rushed. Merlina looked at him for a bit before she nodded and laid out a foot on her bed. She had hastily bandaged it, and although it wasn't the best dressing he had seen, it was pretty well done.  
  
"So, what did you do? Sprain it?" he asked.  
  
"I landed wrong on it." she said. He hesitantly unbandaged it and then moved it softly to see if it hurt a lot and where it did. After a while, he held one hand before him. A yellow-white glow appeared on his hand and he quietly mouthed the word, "Recovery". Merlina watched his hands, her eyes not leaving the glow that seemed to surround her ankle and then take all the pain and stiffness away with it as it dissipated.  
  
"There." said Xellos. Merlina looked at him and cautiously moved her foot. When no tinge of pain appeared, she smiled.  
  
"That's pretty neat." she said.  
  
"You're welcome," said Xellos. "Now, is your back hurting you also?" Merlina blushed deep red.  
  
"Um.. no, it's OK." she said. She grinned. He was amazed to see her look so shy and nervous and then grin despite it all.  
  
"If you're sure." he said. He stood up and refolded the bandage and handed it back to her. She hesitantly took it and then he sat on his bed, not knowing what he was supposed to do next. For once, Merlina was the one to break the silence.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" she asked. Then she corrected herself. "Well, a few, actually..."  
  
"Sure." he said. It was better than the suffocating silence about them.  
  
"Well... um... What did you do today?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing much. I did some meditation. And then I worked out some of my white magic. One has to practice every day, after all. And then, I went out for a walk, and that's about it." he answered. "Next question?" He smiled at her.  
  
"Um... uh... that spell you did... What was it called again?"  
  
"Recovery." he said. Then he cocked his head over to the side and asked a question. "Don't you recognize it? I thought you would know, seeing as you know so much magic."  
  
"Not white." she said softly as she gazed outside. Then she asked him a third question. "Would you like to do anything? I mean, where you bored? Did you want to go and... I don't know... go to some class, find a job, or something?" Xellos thought about this for some time.  
  
"That would help." he said. "I take it you'll be leaving tomorrow and not getting back till supper again tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah." she said. At his unspoken question of what it was she did... "I have a job. I got it last time I came here. Every time I come, I do it."  
  
"Ah." said Xellos. It made sense. Having a job kept the money rolling in and it meant that they'd be able to stay at a warm and clean inn. "Maybe I should get one also. What do you do?"  
  
"It's out of your line." said Merlina hurriedly. "I'll ask around. Perhaps a healer job since you're pretty good. How would you like to help at a small hospital or something?"  
  
"That'd be great." said Xellos. "Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome." she said. Then she narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "One last question. Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Doing what?" asked Xellos, confused.  
  
"Helping me." she said. "You brought me supper, and healed my foot, and followed me, and didn't complain about your being here. Why?" The question caught him off guard. He thought about it for a while before answering.  
  
"I guess... many reasons." he said. "You already know why I'm following you. I'm seeking answers. Why I'm being friendly... well... perhaps because you actually let me follow you. I know I'm a burden at times, and that I don't amount to much,... but you still helped me and let me stay here, although it costs you more and I wanted to show thanks. I guess."  
  
"OK." said Merlina. She thought a bit. Then she turned to him and smiled a little. "You're welcome. And tomorrow, wake up early, I think I know a place where you could work." With that, she grabbed her pajamas and walked to the bathroom to change and wash up. When she came back out, she threw herself on her bed and fell asleep. No more words were spoken between them.  
  
As Xellos washed, he wondered about Merlina's different attitude. A few weeks ago, he would have laughed to death if someone had told them that Merlina Quertwen actually had a heart and could actually care. Now, though... he could see a totally different person in her demeanor. He quickly changed and tried to fall asleep once more. Tomorrow seemed like an extremely promising day. And all of a sudden, he felt better. Slightly more content, slightly more comfortable... slightly more himself. Perhaps one day he'd be able to put his nightmares and thoughts to rest, but that'd take some time and effort. And until then, well... he had Merlina to look after. After all, if he didn't... who would?  
  
End...of the chapter  
  
Author's notes... Hello! Hi! How are you doing? Impatient? I thought so....*grin* Anyway, I finally got the chapter out, aren't you all so amazingly proud of me???? *basks in the applause* Thank you, thank you...) Well, here's the next chapter. I sincerely hoped that you enjoyed it. It would have come out sooner, except that I totally hated how I wrote my first draft of the chapter and rewrote it. So, I know it isn't as long, but I think it's better than before. And if you think THIS is bad... you should have seen the other chapter....*grin*. Anyway, review as usual. Thank you all for continuing with this and not giving up on me. You guys deserve a cookie! Go ahead, choose the one you like....*grin* Take care, people. Hotaru PS.... The volcano exploded here! It's Ashing!!!! Ash drops falling on my head... which meant I had to spend forever cleaning house with the rest of the family.... tons of Ash fell!!!! So, say hi to me.. .K? I need encouragement after seeing tons of supermarket bags filled to the brim with volcanic ash...Honest! Check the news about Ecuador! 


	5. Chapter 5

Once Upon a Time by Hotaru Kimiko Lai  
  
Notes Before You Start:  
  
OK, I know some of you are wondering what in the world happened between Merlina's mom and Xellos's mom. (And I know that one of my reviewers has been bringing this point up. This Note is mainly for you, but it will help everyone see where I'm going with this...) Don't worry, it will all be revealed in due time. Until then, you will see small snippets of it here and there in Merlina's or Xellos's gaze, a small Flashback or perhaps a dream sequence. The reason is this. Merlina is a headstrong person. That's how I see her, independent and able to care for herself. But she dearly loved her mother, the only person she respected, and saw her as a self sufficient person. That is what she is trying to imitate. But when her mother is gone, Merlina is honestly left to fend for herself, and many times, we don't want to deal with it or think about it because we feel like giving up and crying. (Trust me on this, I know how that feels. I myself am very independent, and many times will just try to ignore what is happening around me and concentrate on getting my life straight. That is what Merlina is doing. You could say I'm influencing her...)  
  
Anyway, to not deal with that, Merlina goes off into the real world, ready to take up responsibilities, which will be revealed later on. She has a plan in mind, and she has to prepare for it, which is why she tries to block out everything that can hinder her or make her weaker, including thinking and dealing with her mother's death.  
  
Xellos, on the other hand, is shocked and can't believe what is happening. Just like when one has told their best friend their most guarded secret and found out that said friend told everyone else, he is let down, feels like he is in a dream and can't respond quickly to what is happening. So much that he reaches out and grabs hold of something that will give him direction and a purpose so as to not feel useless or 'just there'. He spent most of his childhood obeying his mother, and just recently began to show an independent streak, which had no time to mature as Merlina's mother's death occurred. How often do we, as people, grab and hold on to something that gives us meaning in life when everything, and I mean absolutely everything goes wrong? I have a plan in mind, but everything is subject to change as I myself am going through different issues in life. Not the death of parents, but other things. Anyway, this is just a small note (yeah right... sorry, I didn't mean for it to get so long...) to explain certain aspects of the story. And sorry, I didn't mean to end up preaching at all of you. Call it my inner being taking over for a few minutes and having me type this out. Take care, k? Now, on with the story!  
  
Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada... I don't own Slayers.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The sun was beginning to rise. Soft and pale sunlit streaks of light flew through the parted window and rested softly on the face of a young boy in his teenage years. He was sleeping restlessly, as he moved a bit every once in a while. After a while, the kid woke up, his amethyst orbs staring at the ceiling. After some thought, they blinked and slowly, Xellos got up from his bed. He yawned and stretched at the same time, his eyes closing, and his mouth opening at the same time, as if getting ready to scream. But he didn't. After all, he was only stretching. He ran his fingers through his messed up hair and got up. He yawned again, and when he finished, his hands rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he quickly woke up. He looked at the bed across the room. Like he thought... Merlina wasn't there, which meant that she had woken up, which meant that he was late!  
  
Hurriedly, Xellos washed his face and grabbed his clothes and changed and brushed his teeth and combed his hair. After that was finished, he ran out and finally realized that he had no idea where Merlina was at the present moment.  
  
'I'm so silly....' he thought to himself. Suddenly, something tickled his magic senses and he ran to the window. Their room, was in the back of the inn, and faced the backyard of the inn. Merlina had told him that it gave them more privacy. He hadn't questioned her. Looking out, he saw the petite redhead sitting in the grass, her cloak protecting her against the morning's cold wind, her staff and sword beside her. She had her back turned to him, and her violent red hair was flowing slowly in the wind of her aura growing. With interest, he watched her and tried to analyze the magic she was using. With a start, he realized that it wasn't like her normal magical signature. He knew how that was because of the times that Merlina had used magic during their travels. He had always thought that her magic signature was weird, since he couldn't really place it to anything he knew. It was like a mix of things. Now, it was mixed with something else. With a start, he noted that the extra in the magic aura was something that resembled white magic. But it wasn't quite. White magic had a purer quality to it, at least, purer than what Merlina was doing now.  
  
After some time of deep concentration, Merlina spoke. She spoke so softly that for a moment, Xellos thought he was imagining things.  
  
"Recovery." she whispered. He could see the power surge around her and go into her as she called up the magic in the spell. But the magic seemed to find a hindrance since it wasn't able to be absorbed by her. Instead, it flew in, and the flew out of her, swirling around her, but every time she tried to reach for it, it evaded her grasp and flew around her mental fingers and probes. With a cry of disgust, she dropped the spell and sighed. She placed her head in her hands and took calming breaths. Through the silence of the morning, Xellos heard her speak softly.  
  
"Drats..." she said. "Why? It's there... why can't I get it? How come?" All of a sudden, in frustration, she reached beside her and grabbed her staff. With a graceful leap, she was up, and with another fling of her hands, her cloak was on the floor, leaving her in her normal black pants and white shirt and she began to play with her staff. The wooden staff twirled in her fingers as she first used both hands, and then switched to both. Her staff became an extension of herself, as imaginary foes fell under the onslaught of the twirling crystal clear orb. She flipped in the air and brought her staff around her, striking all foes in the immediate radius around her. To say that Xellos was awed was not quite right. He was downright surprised and reverent at seeing her skill. Finally, she ended, the twirling staff coming to rest against a hand with a hard 'snap' of the hard wood hitting flesh. She put that down, and picked up her sword. Now, the real skill began, as Xellos took in her fluid motions.  
  
The sword also spun about her and its bright and sharp blade glinted in the dawn sun. She practiced parries, and katas with the sword, her arm never tiring, and her magical aura encompassing her like a cloud and aiding the strength of her attacks. She performed back flips and cartwheels. She jumped backwards and forwards, spun to the side and then ducked and jumped. All of this, she did with her sword splitting everything in its way, its blade humming as it cleaved the air. When she was done, she sheathed her sword in the scabbard at her belt, and then bowed to the rising sun. Xellos couldn't help himself and clapped. It was impossible for him not to clapped. He knew that had he tried that, he would have one arm less and most of his fingers and toes cut off by now. Besides, despite using magic, and then twirling her sword and staff, she wasn't tired. He suddenly saw why the walk from their home to Tryyad wasn't enough to cause her to get tired. Merlina's red eyes widened as her head snapped back to see who it was that interrupted her session, her guard rising in case she had to deal with an enemy. Seeing that it was Xellos, she lowered her guard and bowed sheepishly. Her hand was behind her head as she blushed awkwardly, not knowing what to do. It wasn't very often that someone saw her practicing and actually applauded. Her mother... she had watched every once in a while. But now, she would never watch her practicing again. She felt unbidden tears come to her eyes, but she immediately forced them away. She had no time for tears. She used Levitation to bring her staff over and then she floated up to the window. Xellos made way for her, and she entered their room.  
  
"Thanks." she said. She was still embarrassed at having him see her work out, but it WAS sort of nice to have someone admire you.  
  
"That was great!" said Xellos. He sat down on his bed, his eyes twinkling. For a moment, he forgot that he was almost a complete stranger with who he was sharing a room with. All he knew was that Merlina was surely one of the most surprising people in the world. "Since when have you learned?" he asked. He didn't mind that he seemed to look like an idiot, asking question and looking so smitten.  
  
"Since I was four." said Merlina with a smile. She looked at Xellos in the eyes and had to smile at the eagerness in them. It was nice to meet people who were willing to drop pretenses and be honest. She had no doubt in her heart that he was honest about what he thought.  
  
"You're really good!" said Xellos. Then he remembered who he was talking to and composed himself. "I was amazed."  
  
"Thank you." said Merlina. They were quiet once more as Merlina washed up and then put her weapons away, the sword in its sheath dangling at her hip and her staff in her hand. "Let's go. I see you are awake already. We have things to do."  
  
*****  
  
They left the inn after having a breakfast. Xellos had to continuously bite his lip to keep from asking where they were going. Sure, he had a right to know.... but then, he didn't exactly want to cause trouble to Merlina. After all, she seemed to know this place very well. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him and he ventured a statement.  
  
"You seem to know this place pretty well." he said hesitantly. Merlina looked at him, as if debating to answer him or not.  
  
'I guess I should tell him something...' she thought to herself. 'After all, he's been very polite and quiet....' so, she spoke out loud.  
  
"I've been here many times before." she said. "I have my own part in this town, you could say." She grinned. After all, since he was staying with her, she should at least try to make him comfortable. It was only polite.  
  
"So, where are we going?" he asked after a while. "I mean, I don't mean to be nosy, but I'd like to know."  
  
"You are nosy." she said. After some time, she spoke again. "This town has guilds. One of them is the Healer's Guild. If you pass their test, you will be admitted and then the guild will help you find a job. Of course, you have to pay for the admission test and then you have to pass it." She looked at him, as if trying to gauge how much he knew. "Do you think you'll be able to pass?"  
  
"Of course!" said Xellos, feeling slightly insulted. "I was, after all, the best white mage back home in Zephyria."  
  
"True, but this is a different place. But it's good to see you so confident. Do your best. After all, my pride is at stake." She grinned. He smiled.  
  
"I will pass the test with flying colors." he said confidently. He was on normal ground now. He knew many white magic healing spells, small ones and big ones. He could remove curses, although that took some time. He knew the preparations of salves and poultices. He knew the human anatomy and how the bones were joined and how they worked. What more did he need to know?  
  
"The reason I ask, is that most of the guild members are older than we are." said Merlina after a while.  
  
"What guild do you belong to?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Me?" asked Merlina. She had to grin at that. "Knowing the small bit you know about me, what would you think?"  
  
"Um... If I knew the name of the guilds, I might guess." said Xellos.  
  
"OK," she said. "Here they are. There is the Sewer's Guild, the Carpenter's Guild, the Entertainer's Guild, the Cook's Guild, the Researcher's Guild, the Mercenary's Guild, the Animal Trainer's Guild, the Writer's Guild..."  
  
"Wait..." said Xellos. He looked at her. Yeah, he could see her in that guild. "I think I know. Is it, the Mercenary's Guild?"  
  
"Correct." said Merlina with a smile. "Where else would I go? So, how did you know?"  
  
"Well, back home, you were the best at black magic..." he started.  
  
"Back home, my mother and I were the only ones who actually admitted to practicing Black Magic." said Merlina with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah... that." said Xellos a bit sheepishly. "And on our way here, it's obvious that you know how to take care of yourself. And this morning, you were really good with both staff and sword."  
  
"Good job. You're observant. That will help you in the test." said Merlina with a nod.  
  
"How old is the average guild member?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Mid 20s, usually, or older. There aren't many teen Guild Members." said Merlina. "Of course, they make exceptions when they come across talent."  
  
"Which they will see when I take the test." said Xellos. Merlina smiled. She was halfway glad that his snobby self was coming back. If he kept on acting like a meek child, the Guild would have probably laughed at him. Besides, she was more used to the snobby Xellos, than the obedient one.  
  
"Well, here we are." said Merlina. She pressed into his hand a pouch of money. "There's enough in there for the entrance fee and all that stuff. I won't be back tonight. Perhaps tomorrow. Guild matters and all." She then knocked on the door. A burly man came out.  
  
"Good Morning, Ms. Merlina. What would you want?" he asked as he took in the petite red head and her purple haired companion.  
  
"Good Morning." she said. "My friend here would like to take your entrance exam to become a guild member." She pointed at Xellos, who nodded in the man's direction.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked to Xellos. "Most people have a bit more experience and the test is hard."  
  
"Serje, you know that anyone I vouch for is more than adequate for your Guild." said Merlina with a raised eyebrow. "Anyway, I have to go. Xellos, have fun. I know you can do it. Serje, good day." With that, she left.  
  
"So, you her friend or something?" asked Serje as he led Xellos into the Guild.  
  
"Something like that." said Xellos. How to answer when he himself had no idea what was going on?  
  
"Well, if she thinks you can do it, then you probably will make it." said Serje. "It's amazing how many times she's right."  
  
"Oh." said Xellos. He followed the man quietly to another room.  
  
"You have money?" he asked Xellos on reaching the door.  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos. "How much is it?"  
  
"200 coppers, or a silver piece and a half." said Serje. Xellos inwardly held a whistle. The price was no laughing matter.  
  
"Here you go." he said as he counted out the right amount of money.  
  
"The tests are inside, kid. You will be lead to various parts where you will be told to do different things to test your skills. I wish you the best." said Serje. He patted Xellos on the back and then pushed him into the room.  
  
The room was very well lighted and it had various partitions so it made a sort of winding trail from one end to the other end of the room. The end of the test was probably at the opposite of the room, Xellos thought. He waited for someone to come and tell him what to do. Then a man appeared, and Xellos knew that his test had started.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina had immediately made tracks for the outskirts of Tryyad. As part of the Mercenary's Guild, she had various duties to do, such as finish her latest assignment. Normally, she and her mother would have done it, but she was by herself today, and she would make it. She had done this twice before and they had gotten it done perfectly. She could do it. As she walked to a lake, she thought of the magic she couldn't quite cast.  
  
'Why can't I cast white magic?' she thought to herself. 'It's not fair! I should be able to cast it!' It was annoying to her to feel the magic there, just out of reach from her fingers, but try as she would, she couldn't will it to come. It was as if every time she got close, the magic was repelled and went further back. 'Of all the things I can't do... white magic has to be one of them.' she thought angrily. Her grip on her staff tightened as she tried to get her emotions under control. She had to stay under control. After all, she had a job to do. Thinking about that made her wonder about Xellos. How was he doing in his test so far? She remembered when she had to pass the Mercenary's Guild's Test. It had taken her most of the day to finish. But she had finished with a pretty high score and a position in the Guild. No doubt Xellos would also.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos was presently concentrating. He was supposed to heal a dummy's foot. It was a very good model of the foot and he had to knit back together all the broken bones in the toes and in the heal.  
  
'This is ridiculous!' he thought to himself. 'As if anybody's going to break their heel and toe bones.' Still, he concentrated on the bones. Even though they weren't real, he imagined they were and concentrated on the natural state of things. It was a philosophy of sorts, this white magic. Everything he saw, like the bones, had a perfect and natural state. Which in this case was not broken and forming the foot. Basically, the perfect foot. Now, the bones he was working on weren't in their natural state. All he had to do was to get them to match the picture of the perfect bones. White magic was a very theoretical and philosophical magic. Everything had an original state that the object wanted to form. All Xellos had to do was to push the pieces in the right place... Still, it was easier said than done. This was the second test, and it was demanding lots of concentration. Not that he couldn't do it. After all, Xellos doesn't give up.  
  
*****  
  
She had made it. The vast lake was before her, it's waters sparkling madly in the morning sun. It was quite beautiful, but Merlina had no time for beauty. She sat down against a tree and took her sword out of her scabbard. Today, she would use her sword. She was good with the staff, but she was even better with the sword. And she needed all the skill she could muster to get this done. After making sure that her things would be safe and that her sword was cleaned and in pristine condition, she cast a Levitation and then a Ray Wing bubble around her as she floated into the water.  
  
Once under, she looked at her surroundings.  
  
"Now, if I were a dragon, " she asked herself. "Where would I be?" The answer was pretty simple for her. Obviously in the deepest and darkest areas of the lake getting a mud bath. So, she went down. And when she saw slitted yellow/golden eyes looking at her bubble with interest, she knew that she had found her prey.  
  
*****  
  
Whoever had invented the tests, Xellos decided, was absolutely mad and had too much time on their hands. He looked at the ingredients before him. He had a few plant roots and some pure water and then some flowers. And he was supposed to construct a poultice to fight infection? Well, he knew a few. He carefully examined the roots. It was hard to figure which roots they were and to what plant they had belonged. But after spending a few moments scrutinizing everything, he knew what to do. He grabbed the necessary equipment, and began to crush the flower petals with the roots in a 3:1 ratio. This one would be easy. The hard part had been identifying the materials they gave him since there were so many formulas for making poultices that fought infection. The one he was making was for a general infection since they didn't give him any specifics as to where the poultice would be applied or what symptoms it should fight. Still, the one he was making would work on standard infections. He sighed and wondered what Merlina was doing at that moment.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina, at that present moment, was battling a dragon. It was the long serpentine type of dragon, with gleaming blue scales and ferocious yellow eyes. It was a water dragon, and was presently trying to bite Merlina in two.  
  
Merlina did a back flip to avoid the dragon's jaws and then launched herself at the dragon. All her mother's lessons came to her in a rush. Half formed phrases flew through her head... The dragon's weak point... Poisoned claws, Watch out for the blood...  
  
The dragon wove out of the way of her slash and one of his own claws came out of the water and swatted her, sending her into the water. Merlina quickly swam towards the surface and Levitated out of the way of another claw. Her shoulder stung, but she didn't dare look at it.  
  
'Concentrate, Merlina!' she thought to herself. She summoned up a fireball in her one hand and threw it at the dragon. While the dragon was preoccupied with the fireball, she flew at the dragon, making a beeline for the tender flesh at the throat of the dragon. Her shoulder burned, but she tried to ignore it.  
  
*****  
  
"Good job, boy." said the man as Xellos presented the poultice. "Very nicely done. Now, follow me to your next test."  
  
Xellos followed. After a while, the man spoke to him again.  
  
"Here's your next test." Xellos looked around him. They were in a woods type of area, which didn't make sense, considering he was inside a building. "You will be given a salve to make. Your duty is to find the ingredients." Xellos nodded. It seemed simple enough. "Get to it, then." The man vanished again. Xellos sighed. He was doing a lot of that. The man would come, give him orders and then leave. How annoying. Especially since he knew it was an illusion... He looked at the instructions nailed to a tree and immediately went looking for the necessary herbs.  
  
*****  
  
She had hit him, but it was a small cut, since her shoulder had acted up and she hadn't been able to make the huge swish she was planning to use to finish the dragon. She gritted her teeth as she finally looked at her shoulder. Immediately, she looked away. It was worse than what she had thought.  
  
The dragon was getting ready to attack. Merlina saw herself with no other choice. She had to kill him today. So, ignoring her bad shoulder or the fact that the dragon was very ticked off at her, she concentrated on her favorite spell. The ball of orange/reddish light grew at her hands. She wasn't going for overkill, but she did need a bigger spell. As it grew, the dragon made a dash for her. Merlina opened her eyes and shouted.  
  
"FIREBALL!"  
  
The ball of searing hot flames erupted from her hands and hit the dragon squarely in the face. Merlina knew that the dragon's scales would protect it from being harmed too much, but all she needed was a big enough distraction to occupy his thoughts for a bit. Seeing that there was still smoke and assuming that the dragon wouldn't be able to see her, she flew in, and with her sword, stabbed at the neck and then with a mighty heave, cut a huge gash downwards as she pulled the sword out. She heard the dragon dying, and she felt its hot searing blood fall on her shoulder and arms, but she ignored it for now. She flew out of the way, and as the dragon fell, she cast one last spell to make sure that it would be fresh and wouldn't rot on the way home. She made motions as if she were holding a bow in her hands and pulled the string back. A thin line of bluish white magic appeared where the arrow would have been had she been using a real bow. She concentrated and her arrow became even bigger than before.  
  
"FREEZE ARROW!" she shouted. With that, her right fingers let go and an arrow of ice flew towards the dragon and upon hitting it, encapsulated it in a block of ice. Knowing that the dragon would be safe and that no one else could take off her spell, Merlina slowly floated to the ground, and fell into a deep faint.  
  
*****  
  
"I must say that I am most amazed." said the man once more. Xellos yawned and pretended to be bored. "Pay attention lad. It's not every teenager in town that gets admitted to the Healer's Guild. So far, you and Ms. Merlina from the Mercenary's Guild are the youngest Guild Members on the register."  
  
"Of course." said Xellos. "What else is to be expected?"  
  
"Well, we were astonished when Merlina came yesterday and told us about you." said the man.  
  
"Wait, Merlina spoke to you? Yesterday? And one thing, can I speak to the real you instead of an illusion? It's a bit awkward." said Xellos. The man laughed.  
  
"You are indeed very good." said the man. "Go out the door, and I will be there."  
  
"Thanks." said Xellos. He walked to the door. Truth be told, the tests had taken a lot of concentration, and he was very tired at the present moment. He opened the door and looked in. The same man was there, sitting on a chair. There was another chair across from him and a small table with tea and some small cupcakes.  
  
"Have a seat, son." said the man. Xellos did. "Go ahead, have some. No doubt the tests left you a bit weak."  
  
"Thank you." said Xellos as he took a bite. It was pretty good.  
  
"Apple and Cinnamon." said the man, noticing the expression of delight. "My wife makes them."  
  
"Tell her from my part that she is a very good baker." said Xellos.  
  
"Of course." said the man. "My name is Kitsuo. I'm the headmaster, you could say, of the Healer's Guild. Welcome."  
  
"Um, thanks." said Xellos.  
  
"You are free the rest of the day. Merlina already gave us your information. By tonight, you will be officially registered. Come by tomorrow morning to get your identification and by then, we will have found for you a job. How does that sound?" asked Kitsuo.  
  
"Thanks." said Xellos. "That is very nice of you."  
  
"It is the duty of the Guild to ensure the well-being of its members." said Kitsuo. "Now, go. Come tomorrow. And have a nice afternoon."  
  
*****  
  
Merlina woke up with a dreadful headache. Her eyes smarted and there was a throbbing sensation in her brain, followed by a vertigo type of feeling when she tried to get up. She decided that it was wiser to stay down and to readjust her body before getting up. From her position, lying on the floor of the wood, the frozen dragon a few meters away from her, she could tell it was evening. How late it was presently was too hard to figure out. All she knew was that it was night. And her shoulder hurt, as did her head, as did her back, as did her legs, as did absolutely every part of her body. She groaned weekly. After a while, she hesitantly got up, using the tree trunk to lean against and support herself. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked owlishly. She tried to use some magic and with satisfaction found that she could access her magic, even though it hurt a bit. She concentrated slightly and her staff and sword levitated to where she was, where they dropped on her lap. She immediately leaned against the trunk, gasping for breath.  
  
'If summoning my weapons took so much out of me...' she thought to herself. 'How am I going to get back to town?' But she was too tired to ponder it. After resting a bit, she levitated her cloak and arranged on herself. With that, she fell into a deep and fitful feverish sleep. She'd make it back to town tomorrow, she was sure....  
  
*****  
  
The next day, Xellos woke up. He was feeling pretty good. Last night, he had been able to sleep, due to a well placed sleep spell on himself.  
  
"Should have thought of that earlier.' he thought to himself as he stared at the white ceiling of their room. Thinking about Merlina.... 'I wonder if she's back yet?' He turned over and looked at Merlina's bed. It wasn't slept in. She hadn't come back last night. He was starting to get worried. Where could she be? He stood up and stretched.  
  
While he was changing his clothes, someone knocked rapidly on the door.  
  
"Coming!" he shouted. He quickly donned on a pair of pants and passed a brush through his hair to look presentable. He rushed to the door and opened it. There was a young girl with brown hair there.  
  
"Sir, you must come quickly." she said hurriedly. "Sir Kitsuo requests your presence in the Guild of Healers immediately."  
  
"Tell him I'll be there." said Xellos. The girl nodded and ran off. Xellos quickly grabbed his cloak and keys and after locking the door, flew out the window with a Levitation to get to the Guild quickly. Once he got there, he entered the Guild. There were many healers there, crowded around a room. They parted for him on seeing who he was. There were various whispers in the air.  
  
"Look. It's him."  
  
"Yeah, the new Guild Member."  
  
"A bit young."  
  
"I can't imagine how he passed."  
  
"I don't know why he was called."  
  
"He's cute!"  
  
"He's too young for the Guild."  
  
"What's the Guild coming to?"  
  
Xellos did his best to ignore them, but still blushed at some of the comments.  
  
"What happened, Kitsuo?" he asked as he came into the room. One look at the bed in the middle of the room told him all he needed to know. "Merlina???" He rushed over to the bed. "What happened?"  
  
"A fisherman found her beside the lake on the outskirts of Tryyad with a frozen dragon near her. He immediately brought her here." said Kitsuo. "She's been badly poisoned from her shoulder wound due to Dragon's blood seeping into her system. She is badly bruised, and has a high fever." He motioned for Xellos to sit on a chair beside the bed. "This is your first job. The owner of the Mercenary's Guild hired the best to heal Merlina. You are that person. Get to it. Anything you need, ask one of the interns around here."  
  
Xellos nodded. He had to quickly get to work. He pressed his palm to her head, noting her high temperature as he quickly slapped on her a quick Recovery spell.  
  
"I'll need some hot water, clean towels and some herbs. Oh, and bring some cold water." he said. "I need my ruck sack. It's in my room at the Rat's Nest." he said seriously. "Get to it!"  
  
"Do as the boy tells you." said Kitsuo. He glared at the people around him. "If I hear anything about not obeying, you will deal with me." Everyone nodded their head. "Good, now, bring his things!" Immediately, action took over the room. A boy quickly brought a pitcher with hot water and clean towels. After a few moments, a small tub of cold water was also brought in. While still concentrating on the Recovery spell, he carefully cleaned the shoulder wound. He couldn't help but hiss on seeing the poisoning that had occurred. He would have to make a poultice quickly. "You." said Xellos to one of the men standing around there. "Can you cast Recovery and maintain it?"  
  
"Yes, sir." said the man, even though Xellos was younger.  
  
"Good." said Xellos . "Cast it on her, and don't let it go." While the man seated himself beside Merlina, Xellos rummaged in his bag for a few herbs and then began to grind them. Another person came and seeing what he was doing, lit a fire for him. Xellos nodded his thanks and kept on, grinding the dry herbs to an even finer powder. He added certain solutions he had and brought it to a quick boil. It made a thick, creamy, white mixture. He spread it on a broad leaf and used that as a poultice which he applied to Merlina's shoulder. Merlina gave a small cry as the searing heat touched her shoulder, but Xellos cast another healing spell on her.  
  
"Thank you." he said to the other man. "You can go now." The man left the room, but stood near the door, lest Xellos need anything else. Xellos firmly sent a Diem Wing over to the door, shutting it.  
  
He then got the cold water and made compresses to put on her forehead to cool the raging fever. He took off her head band to apply the compress and softly brushed her hair aside. He realized that she had very soft and silky hair. Funny how one notices small things like that when there are more important things to worry about.  
  
After several hours of watching over her and changing poultices, the fever had come down, and the shoulder was starting to heal a bit better. He had flushed most of the poison out of her body with magic and making her ingest an antidote he had made. The fever had lessened, so that it was a more controllable condition. He wiped his forehead. So much healing really took it out of you.  
  
'What the heck did you do to yourself?' he asked himself as he watched her sleep. She was in a deep slumber, which was good. It gave the body time to heal itself. He went out and called for a female healer. A woman came into the room.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"I would like you to changer her into some clean clothes and clean he up a bit. Give her a bath. I will have her pajamas brought over. After the bath, tell me where there is bruising." said Xellos. The lady nodded and cast Levitation on Merlina to take her to the bath tub, where she commanded someone to fill with hot water. Xellos had someone else bring Merlina's pajamas over.  
  
After the bath was over and Merlina was dressed in her pajamas and in the bed, Xellos applied a fresh poultice and saw about to fix any bruises. He cast several small Recovery spells around her body, healing the bruises on her face, the twist of her ankle, the cut in her arms and legs..., wherever it was that the other healer told him about.  
  
He drew into his bag and took out another salve and while putting the leg of her pajama pants up, he spread the lotion on her legs with magic to avoid touching her. He knew deep down inside of him that if Merlina knew he had touched her, she would hit him with the biggest fireball she could conjure up. And then, she'd probably cut off his head. And so he spent the rest of the afternoon massaging her legs and arms and back via magic, so that when she would wake up, she wouldn't feel sore.  
  
*****  
  
That night, Kitsuo came by, with two men.  
  
"How is she doing, Xellos?" asked Kitsuo.  
  
"She is fine." said Xellos. "I flushed her system of the poison, and her fever's gone down. Her bruises are gone and her ankle isn't twisted anymore. She just needs to rest for some time to recuperate."  
  
"And the poultice?" asked one of the men beside Kitsuo.  
  
"Oh, this is Mejire," said Kitsuo. "He's the leader of the Mercenary's Guild. And the other one is Hakuma. He's the one who hired Merlina."  
  
"Pleased to meet you." said Xellos. So, this was the idiot who gave Merlina such a dangerous job... "The poultice is to keep the shoulder clean and uninfected. It also cleans up the burns in the shoulder, speeding up the healing process. That, combined with a Recovery spell, will have her up in no time." He sounded very confident. "Hopefully." said Mejire. "If she is awake by tomorrow, you will get a bonus." "She will." said Xellos in a bored and snobby tone. He then looked at Merlina. Hopefully, she would be OK by tomorrow.  
  
End of Chapter 5  
  
Well, there ya go. This chapter came out quicker. Yeah! Anyway, C and C very welcome. Please read and review. Thank you, all, for sticking with this story. Hopefully, the notes at the beginning helped. Take care! Thank you for all who reviewed! Hotaru 


	6. Chapter 6

Once Upon a Time  
A Slayers Fic  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer...  
characters not mine. BUT! the story is... ^^  
  
Chapter 6  
  
  
Merlina woke up and slowly opened her eyes, letting her red eyes look around her from her laid out position on the bed. She noticed many things at once, as if the many emotions came in a whirlwind and knocked her with so many things in so small of a moment.  
  
She noticed her PJs... an important fact since she didn't remember wearing them. She saw a different roof, and felt a different bed under her. She felt loose and relaxed muscles, but a tiredness that could only come from sleeping in all morning long when one was normally an early riser. She yawned, got up and stretched softly. She didn't make any noise as her covers rustled softly about her. After she had finished stretching, she looked about her. To her surprise, she saw that there was someone snoozing in a chair beside the bed. It was Xellos.  
  
His head was leaning towards the right, his eyes closed, and his face looking relaxed but a little sad and melancholy. In his hands were a damp towel, and beside him was a small basin on the night table. She got up, and looked around. It was one of the rooms in the Healer's Guild. Why she was here instead of her room was beyond her. Seeing that Xellos was sleeping and that there was nobody else around there, she carefully levitated him to the bed after fixing it so that it was comfortable. She set him gently on the bed and then she explored her room. To her great relief, she found her sword and her staff untouched in a corner. The blade hadn't been wiped and the staff looked a bit muddy, but she didn't mind too much. It was proof, she thought, that they hadn't bothered her weapons and it would give her something to do. She heated up some water and then got a rag, and then began to wash and clean her weapons.  
  
After about half and hour later, Xellos stirred in his sleep. Melrina looked up from polishing the clear crystal on her staff and smiled softly before replacing that with a 'no nonsense' type of look. Xellos woke up slowly and looked puzzled to be in a bed.  
  
"Good afternoon." she said as she changed her grip on her staff and began to polish the wood.  
  
"Oh... good afternoon." he said. He got up and shook his head. "Um... I take it you woke up and then put me to bed?" He had a wry look on his face. The past few days had given him a bit of spunk and he was more sure of himself now.  
  
"Yeah." she said. "After all, I can't have you fainting on me. Besides, it was probably your turn to have the bed." He got up and fixed himself, grabbing his comb and running it through his purple hair. "So, care to explain to me what happened?"  
  
"You don't remember anything?" he asked as he stopped in mid-comb.  
  
"Well, I remember the dragon, and I remember that I froze him.... out of curiosity, how long have I been out?" she asked.  
  
"Two days." answered Xellos. "Well, at least... that's what it was before I fell asleep. Don't know how long I slepted."  
  
"Two days...." muttered Merlina to herself. "Well, I'll be more careful next time. So, what happened?" She sat on a chair and he sat on the bed.  
  
"Well, the next day, after you went, I got a message from the Healer's Guild." started Xellos.  
  
"So, how well did you do on the test?" asked Merlina.  
  
"I passed, as you can imagine. It was pretty simple, but took lots of time." said Xellos.  
  
"Good. I knew I could trust on you to pass." said Merlina. She smiled. It wasn't a waste of money after all.  
  
"I told you I would pass." said Xellos with a wry smile. He then continued. "So, I flew to the   
guild and you were there all banged up. I was hired by both the leader of the Guild of Mercenarie's and the man who hired you."  
  
"Oh." said Merlina. There was some silence. Then Merlina sighed. "OK, out with it. Go ahead and ask. I won't bite your head off."  
  
"Why did you accept?" asked Xellos, his eyes stern. Heck, his whole demeanor was serious. "I may not know you too well, but I do know something, and that you are no idiot. So, why, pray tell, did you go of a fool's errand?"  
  
"Well," said Merlina. "...It's not as if I've never done this in my life. If you really must know, There are three main reasons. I did it for the money, I did it for the blood, and I did it for a personal reason."  
  
"That's not the point!" shouted Xellos. "There are jobs that are many times easier than that. Jobs that are many times safer! You could have been killed had the Dragon's blood splashed you more. You could have died if the man didn't find you. You could have died if the toxins in the blood weren't flushed out of your blood circulation within half a day!"  
  
"Look, don't yell at me." said Merlina. "I know you could care less about the money. I could too. But you know, dragon cuisine is really quite delicious." She got up. Xellos got up also.  
  
"And why would you need fresh dragon's blood?" he asked. "If you needed some, you could have gone to the apothecary." Merlina raised an eyebrow and thought for a while.  
  
"You know, I actually thought of that." she said sweetly. Then her tone turned serious. "The only reason I'm telling you this is because you have proved yourself to be patient and actually useful for something. The blood they give you at the apothecarrys is too weak. They water it down. And if I had asked for something more potent, they would have required a physician's note or some idiotic thing like that." She saw her bag at the corner of the room and slung it up. After that, she put on her cloak and strapped her sword. She rummaged in her bag and came up with a glass flask with a cork stopper. Then she turned to him.  
  
"Are you coming or not?" she asked. "I have my pay to collect, as you probably do also." Silently, Xellos picked up his things, smoothed out the bed and put away the basin and cloth.  
  
"I'm ready." he said. The two walked out.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina had collected her prize. There was payment, a flask of blood from the dragon and a promise to be called when the dragon was cooked. Xellos too received his payment.  
  
"Thank you so much for healing her!" said Hakuma, the owner of the restaurant 'The Dragon's Den', the man who had hired Merlina. Xellos bit back any scathing remarks he had for the man.  
  
"Thank you for the promised meal!" said Merlina. "I'll be waiting. At this rate, I'll have three or four dragon meals in a few years!"  
  
"Of course, Ms. Merlina." said the man. "I can't express my sincere gratitude in helping me with this. Be sure to tell Ms. Jera that I said hello. I'm sure she's quite proud that you defeated the dragon by yourself." There was an awkward silence. Xellos looked stunned. He couldn't imagine both Merlina and her mother fighting dragons... it almost seemed like a tradition for the two women to fight dragons. He seemed to be the only one stunned at the fact that they fought dragons.  
  
Merlina was quiet because she didn't know what to say. Then she looked up and grinned, a face of extreme sadness passing her face before anyone registered it.  
  
"I'll be sure to tell her next time I see her." she said.  
  
"Travelling by yourself, Ms. Merlina?" he asked as he passed her the flask, filled with a thick crimson fluid. Merlina took it carefully and put it in her bag.  
  
"Perhaps." said Merlina.  
  
"Will you be leaving our town so soon, Ms Merlina?" asked the head of the Guild of Mercenaries, Mejire.  
  
"I might stay." she said. "I just came back to kill the last dragon since my mother and I didn't finish the job totally last time. Oh, and see how much longer I must wait for my free meal. So, I might end up staying here some more time depending on how long this meal will take." She grinned.  
  
"That is good." said the head of the Guild of Healers, Kitsuo. "That way, the lake is safe for fishing once more." There was a cheer from those that had surrounded them.  
  
"Anyway, are there any more jobs?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Not for now, Ms." said Mejire. "I'll send you notice as soon as I hear of one."  
  
Xellos and Merlina walked away from the crowd. As they walked away, the various onlookers began talking amongst themselves.  
  
"Did you see her?"  
  
"Did you see HIM?"  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"And he seems to be friends of Merlina..."  
  
"You know, they say it was he who healed her."  
  
"Well, I heard that he rooms with her."  
  
"No! Oh my goodness!"  
  
"And so young also!"  
  
"I wouldn't mind! He's pretty cute looking."  
  
"He's a priest, you know."  
  
"Well, Merlina doesn't seem to care..."  
  
And the rumor mill was hard at work once more.  
  
*****  
  
The days turned into weeks. The two had settled down and had gotten used to each other's presence. Every morning, they would have breakfast sent to their rooms. If they ate in the dining room, everyone would begin to talk. But having breakfast sent to them caused people to talk also. So since no matter what they did, the outcome was the same, Merlina opted for eating in their room since it gave them more privacy. Xellos had agreed.  
  
It was a half awkward situation that they were each half comfortable with. They spoke to each other, but still kept a wall up. They weren't wonderful buddies, but they weren't absolutely silent to each other. Xellos had staid in Merlina's room. He could care less about the rumors. Basically, it cost less to share a room than to order another one. Merlina hadn't questioned or challanged his decision, so Xellos assumed it was OK with her.  
  
And there was the small fact that no one had news. No news had come from out of Zephirya. No news of death, no reports of missing children, nothing, zilch, and nada. It was as if they had never existed and that the happenings of that one night had never happened, as if everyone were trying to evade and hide the fact. Merlina didn't talk, so he didn't either. People thought they were friends who were staying together and that any adults related to them were still alive and knew what was going on.  
  
It was a quiet town, this place. There were some odd jobs here and there for both of them, since they were the best, but there wasn't much going on. Merlina had opted to spend her nights poring over a thick book she would check out from the library. One time, Xellos had tried to read over her shoulder, but she turned and covered the book while trying to not look like she was actually covering it.  
  
"Yah?" she had asked.  
  
"Nothing much. Just curious about what you were reading." said Xellos as nochalantly as he could. Merlina thought a bit and then smiled.  
  
"Now, that... is a secret." she said with a grin. "But if you truly must know, it's a book about magic."  
  
And they had left it at that. She would volunteer some information, but if he wanted to know more, then he'd have to do the digging. So, he too began to spend his nights reading books. It kept him from slacking off and he learned quite a bit. And they had begun to get accustomed to each other.  
  
*****  
  
One day, during breakfast, Merlina broke the ice. Which was pretty amazing since it was usually Xellos who began the conversation.  
  
"What are you planning to do today?" she asked. She spread some strawberry jelly on her bread and took a bite.  
  
"Nothing much. I don't think there's anything from the Guild." said Xellos. He took a forkful of scrambled eggs and ate that. Merlina poured some milk into her glass and gulped it down.  
  
"So, since you have nothing to do, I was wondering, do you know how to fight?" she asked. Xellos chewed and swallowed.  
  
"Not really. Mother never allowed me to partake in such activities." he said. No, they never mentioned that night, but that didn't mean he couldn't mention people.  
  
"Would you like to learn?" asked Merlina. Whether she was affected or not by his mentioning of his mother, couldn't be told because she didn't even blink an eye.  
  
"Are you offering to teach me?" he asked.  
  
"Sure, why not?" she asked. She speared a piece of ham. "Besides, it'll give us something to do. And it's not like we're worried about what others think."  
  
"Sounds fun." he said. "I don't know anything though."  
  
"You'll learn." she said with confidence. "You've yet to let me down. Anyway, what do you prefer, hand to hand? Sword? Staff?"  
  
"Um...." he said. Merlina looked at him as if sizing him up, which was what she was doing.  
  
"You probably would do better with staff fighting." she said. "How about a bit of each, and you choose for yourself which one you like best?"  
  
"Sure. Sounds good." he said, glad that he didn't have to come up with a choice just then. "When do we start?"  
  
"After you finish breakfast." she said. With a start, he noticed that her plates were all empty, the food all gone, and her glass drunk dry.  
  
"You're fast." he said.  
  
"I know." she said smuggly.  
  
*****  
  
The weeks turned into months, and the months soon turned into one year. Xellos had started off slowly in his new learning, but soon picked up speed. Time and time again, Merlina was forced to admit some grudging respect to him.  
  
"You are a quick learner." she said. She held a staff in her hands before her, in a defensive position. Xellos smiled eagerly as he twirled the staff in his hands.  
  
"Thanks!" he said. And with that, he charged. Merlina easily blocked his attacks. With a twist of her staff, she switched their positions so that he was on the defensive and she was on the offensive. Xellos quickly parried her attacks and jumped over her with a small aid of magic and tried to get a back hit in, but Merlina switched her grip and used her staff behind her back. She hurriedly twirled so that she was facing him once more and then the two began to fight once more.  
  
After about fifteen minutes of fighting, they finally called it quits. Merlina claimed the bath first to wash off and Xellos, out of the kindness of his heart allowed her the privilage. Besides, if he didn't, she'd hit him on the head with her staff and then take it anyway.  
  
As he waited for his turn, he turned his own wooden staff in his hands. It was a simple staff, light and well balanced. He was the one who had made it, which made it half special for him. He had done this one all by himself. His first one, Merlina had had to help him fix the balance and adjust the length, but this one, Merlina had gaven him full marks for it. As his mind began to drift, he suddenly heard a soft melody. He cocked his ear towards it and realized what it was. Merlina was singing again. She had begun singing two months ago. He didn't know why, and she didn't explain. But it was a nice tune, simple and true. And she had a nice soprano voice.  
  
He thought about life. One year. One whole year, he had spent with her. He couldn't help but wonder where this was going. They were more friends than enemies now. The training had given them something to talk about, something they shared in common. But neither knew the other very well. It was a strange situation, but he didn't really mind it. They were.... not exactly friends.... but comrades. They worked together and hung out. But there were still parts of her that he was not allowed to know, and the same with her. She came out and told him that the bath was his.  
  
Over breakfast, they talked again.  
  
"Do you have anything planned this afternoon?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Nope." he said. He was still eating, but Merlina had long since finished hers.  
  
"That's good to know. Wait a sec." she said. With that, she went under her bed and came up holding a wrapped, long bundle. "This is for you." She paused a bit and fixed her hair after shaking it.  
  
"What is it?" he asked as he accepted it.  
  
"Now, that... is a secret!" she said. "Well, it is until you open it." He grinned. He was beginning to get used to that type of humor.  
  
He slowly undid the black cord and let the cloth fall down. Wrapped inside of it, had been a long slender piece of wood, as black as midnight. It had a few carvings here and there and was trimmed and smoothed down so that it was comfortable to grip. The edges were tipped with silver and the whole staff was extremely well balanced. He stood up and twirled it experimentally and revelled in how light it was yet how sturdy it felt.  
  
"You like it?" she asked. With a start, he realized that she was acting nervously.  
  
"Like it?" he asked. "It's wonderful! It's perfect!"  
  
"I'm glad you like it." she said. With a relieved look, she sat on her bed.  
  
"Thank you." he said. He wanted to ask her why. Why make it for him? It wasn't as if he couldn't make it. He could, albeit, not as nice as this one.  
  
"You want to know why, right?" she asked. He nodded. She motioned for him to sit, so he sat on his bed. "Well, before I start, I want to ask you to not interrupt, K?"  
  
"Sure." he said.  
  
"OK." she said. She took a deep breath and began. "A bit over a year ago, mom died. You know that. Anyway, before that, she gave me explicit instructions. I don't know what for, but oh well... dying wishes you could call them. I left town, and you followed. Everything sounds normal, familiar, right?" He nodded. "OK. Mom told me to find my father. And before you ask, no, he's not here. I don't know if you knew or not. I'm sure there were rumors in Zephyria. Dad's a Mazoku. So I'm half. I'm off to find my dad. I've things to deal with. You aren't following me. I allowed you to follow me before since I was just training and all that. But now, I have all the ingredients I need. I have the materials I need. I'm off to seek him. You will not follow me, OK? And remember, you promised to not interrupt. Anyway, I'm leaving this afternoon. I've trained you for about a year now. You are stronger than you were a year ago. I don't have to worry about anyone beating up on you, or of you starving to death with out a job or something. I'm leaving this afternoon. You won't remember this until I'm gone." There was a pause and Merlina rapidly blinked her eyes. "I'm sorry, Xellos, to have to tell you like this. But then, had I told you straight out, you would have followed me. And it's too dangerous. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. So, take care, OK? If it works out, then I'll be back. If not, well..." Here she smiled and laughed, looking so carefree... "Oh well... it doesn't really matter anymore, right? So, like I said, take care."  
  
Xellos all of a sudden felt a bright intense light and the world blanked out. When he came to, he was sitting on his bed.  
  
"So, I have to do some stuff this afternoon and I can't do the job the Guild gave me. But I know you can handle it. After all, it's only a few robbers. Just round them up and then deliver them alive to the guards who are staying at the Crow's Inn. Easy, huh?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos. "OK, I can do that."  
  
"Thanks!" said Merlina.  
  
*****  
  
Mission complete. Success. Merlina would be quite glad. Well, that is what Xellos imagined. He had just brought back the robbers and had the pay. It had been quite thrilling to use his staff in actual combat instead of sparring. It would be fun to try it out against Merlina also. He made it back to their room and seeing that Merlina wasn't back yet, decided to take a bath. His already half tired mind didn't notice the small details here and there. He reverently put the staff on his bed. As he relaxed in the tub, he felt a slight nagging sensation at the back of his head.  
  
"I must be getting a headache." he said to himself. He closed his eyes and relaxed. His   
eyes slowly closed as he felt himself fall asleep. A few minutes later, his eyes snapped wide awake. No... it couldn't be, right? As the implications of his vision/dream hit in, he jumped out of the tub, put on his bathrobe and ran out of the bathroom. It was true. Sure, the bed was still a mess, which threw him slightly off before since Merlina always had a messy bed. But all her other belongings were gone. He opened the drawers on her desk and found that they didn't zap him fro trying to open it and that her notes and books were gone. He sat on his bed, dazed.  
  
"She left." he whispered to himself. "Just like that. Up and out..." He felt slightly hollow, as if there were part of him that wasn't quite right. No more Merlina. She had left. No more training classes, no more of her wry jokes. No more. No more.  
  
He knew it shouldn't matter that much to him. After all, they weren't even really close friends. Just friends, and sometimes, not even that. She hadn't really abandoned him. They both knew in the back of their mind that one day, one or the other would leave. But he hadn't expected it. Not now... it seemed so soon. Why know? He was so tired of questions. He wanted some answers so badly. But he was too tired, too worn out to handle anything else. So he collapsed on his bed and slept, his one hand holding on to his staff. His one last physical link to her. No, he wasn't missing her in the romantic sense or anything like that... it was just that... well... after one year of being together, comrades wasn't the word anymore. It was more like friends. And it always hurt when one of those leaves you.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, Xellos woke up with a headache. He had slept wrong on his damp hair, and it was sticking up and out in weird angles. He was glad Merlina wouldn't see him like this... she'd probably laugh till she fell off her bed or something. Then he sobered up. Of course Merlina wouldn't see him like this, she was gone, after all. For a few minutes, he just laid there, thinking about everything and nothing at all. Staring at a place past the wall, but not at it.  
  
"Well, I'm not getting anything done by just sitting here." he said. He stood up and washed up so that his hair looked passable and then held his black staff. He had never asked Merlina where she got the wood. He fixed the room a bit and put a few of his things away. Well, whether Merlina wanted his company or not, he would follow her. After all, she was a friend, and it sounded as if she were going to do something dangerous. Well, he'd be there and help her. She had helped him all this time. Now, it was his turn to help. He wondered where the most logical place to start looking for her would be. Then it struck him. Merlina was looking for a Mazoku. OK, for her father, same thing. But she was only human. Well, half human. So, she couldn't just... find him easily. And she talked about ingredients.... she was planning to summon him. Of course! After all, that is how one found Demons. Well, usually.  
  
Then it all clicked. All the nights Merlina would read her tomes, forwards and backwards. The vial of blood she had taken from that one dragon. How she said she needed something stronger. And all the time she spent training and those trips she'd take every once in a while to the forests here and there.  
  
He donned on some clothes, grabbed his staff and flew out of the window. He'd ask Merlina's Guild Leader on where he could find tomes of magic that Merlina had looked at. So, with a purpose and a mission before him, Xellos began to feel slightly better.  
  
*****  
  
That afternoon, Xellos came back with many books in his arms. He had taken all the ones that spoke about Mazokus. He had been lucky and found a slim book on summoning magic. There was very little information about summoning since it took so much energy and it was so dangerous. That night, he read up as much as he could. There was a list of places, he discovered to his surprise, that Mazoku summoning seemed to be easier, but were only open and accesible at certain times of the year. Merlina was probably going to the closest one, which was a weeks hike from here. Or a few days flight from here. She'd arrive about a week early. He'd have time to get there. He was glad. He carefully copied the places and dates and put it in his bag. He'd leave the next day, after buying provisions. He realized wryly that Merlina was right. He had learned a lot in one year. Namely, don't go out on an adventure without food and water and money and an ability to fight. With a start, he realized how self sufficient he was acting. He smiled a bit. Merlina had trained him very well.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina looked at the site before her. Here it was. She looked at her list. Yup. The pond over to her right was where she was supposed to cast her summoning. She smiled slightly. She had made it. She was here about a week early, with more time than what she had planned. As soon as she had left Tryyad, she had hiked furiously. At times, she had flied quickly, the forest under her turning into a blur of greens, browns and blacks. She had done everything in her power to keep herself busy and occupied. Anything so that she wouldn't think. She knew how to cast the summon by heart. She knew the way. And here she was. Now, she had a few days left until the time was right. A few days where all she could do was think and rest and get energy and think. She didn't want to think.  
  
Leaving had been harder than what she had expected. She had it planned some two months ago, when she found the black wood. She had found it in a bandit hide out. Where they found it was beyond her, but she knew that if she didn't take it, it would be turned into firewood. So she had taken it and had come up with her brilliant plan. Two weeks later, she had all the ingredients she needed and had begun on his staff. It had taken her a long time, more than one month. She had smoothed it out carefully so that its balance was kept intact. She had carved some bits here and there so that it would look elegant to have everywhere. She had capped of the ends with silver to add to the look and to the damage power. It had been perfect. With that done, there had been nothing else to do. She needed to leave. She had promised herself to leave after the staff was finished anyway. So, the staff was given, and part of her cried when he saw how happy he was on receiving it. But enought about that! Merlina did not cry. Crying was for weaklings. She stiffled her tears, or at least, she tried to. Two small tears escaped her eyes and trailed down her cheeks.  
  
'Idiot.' she told herself. 'You idiot... stop crying!' And it suddenly hit her that she had left the only friend she had ever had in this world. And her tears wouldn't stop.  
  
End of Chapter  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Hi! Sorry it's been absolutely ages since I've updated, again. But this time, I have an excuse! Honest, I do! Some weird funky thing happened to my computer so I couldn't put my story into the computer. (I type it out somewhere else and then transver it via disk to my computer to upload...) So that had to get fixed... how annoying. And then, before that, Thanksgiving came about... and you probably wonder..."It was Thanksgiving, meaning, no classes, meaning more time to write, meaning an update...right?" Well, I went to Galapagos over the break! It was great! Anyway, as you can imagine, writing the next chapter just didn't have the same priority as before, especially with seeing all the sea lions, the blue footed boobies and the nazca boobies (formerly known as masked boobies) the marine and land iguanas, the lava lizards, Darwin's finches and penguins and flightless comorants, and frigate birds and the sea turtles, and the Galapagos land tortoise.... It was a blast! I was thinking of writing a new story...."The Slayers go to Galapagos" and I actually thought of a way to get it to work! But, not know. Lot's of things going on, like finals!!!!! and more homework and trying to finish this story. Besides, I might turn it into a file for Kamishibai with pics and sounds. Perhaps... if you don't know what Kamishibai is, check out www.otakuworld.com Anyway, enough of my babbling. Hope you all enjoyed the story and hope that it was worth the wait. I personally like it. I hope you do too.  
Take care, people, and please R and R. Drop me a review, please? I'm a poor little girl who has to take three million finals for her silly AP classes who has a small job and who plays music in a jazz band. I need encouragement!!! That is how you, the reader, can help moi, the authoress.... OK, enought of that. *grin*  
Take care, everyone!  
  
Hotaru  
  
ps... if you're all mega nice and write me some reviews (how about 5?) i'll have the next chapter up by next Saturday.... how's that for a deal? *grin* 


	7. Chapter 7

Once Upon a Time  
A Slayers Fic  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer...  
To whom it may concern, Slayers is not mine. All circumstances are fictional. Any similarity to one of your lives is purely accidental, and should not even be expected due to the fact that I'm writing about magic, mazokus and all sorts of things like that...*grin*  
  
Thank you to all of you who reviewed! You are awsome!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Xellos cursed silently as he landed. He had started a day and a half ago and he was lost already. How stupid was that! And the forest was so thick! And there were no trails or nice little signs telling you where you were. Oh well, nothing more to it, he'd have to cheat. He cast Levitation and floated up, careful to go around the tree branches that might snag his coat or scratch his face or something. He didn't want to. It'd be so great to be able to look back and say, "Yup! I navigated the forest with out getting lost and without cheating by levitating to see where in the world I was." Oh well, perhaps next time. He still had to get to Merlina. Once he reached up, he checked his surroundings and saw that he was travelling in the opposite direction.  
  
"Merlina never taught me how to cross forests..." he grumbled to himself as he turned direction and began to fly in the right way. Of course, they hadn't travelled much, and Merlina probably didn't expect him to follow her. Speaking of which...  
  
Why was he following her? She had made it obvious that she didn't want him following. She had said so in the note. But then again, if she didn't want him to follow, then she wouldn't have even given him a note, right? Besides, he wanted to stick by her. That's what friends were for anyway.  
  
Friends.... that's the way he saw themselves. It hadn't fully struck him until the other day. He never really had a reason to think about it either. But now, he knew that they were. He wondered if Merlina saw them that way. Or did she still see him as a slight annoyance that he was about a year ago? Well, whether she was his friend or not, he was her friend. So, he'd follow her and help her in whatever it was she had to do. Besides, she was planning on doing something almost suicidal, summoning a Mazoku. Who cares if he was her father? Mazoku shouldn't be trusted. He skipped over the small fact that Merlina herself was half. But then again, such superficial differences didn't matter once you were friends.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina had set up a small camp beside the pond. Over to the east there was a small city. She forgot it's name. But the pond was called the Pond of Gold. Probably named that way because when the people who first populated the area had made a pretty good living here as fishermen. It was a huge pond, basically a lake. But now there were no more fish. It was said that there used to be a delicious fish, called the Gold Tailed Rood that could be fished here. The fish had died off due to everyone fishing them. And now, it was a simple pond, albeit a big one, with almost no fish.  
  
She sighed. She had two more days before casting the spell. Already, she was getting impatient. It was an important time of her life, and she was forced to wait patiently. How stinkingly boring. As she rested against a tree, she thought.  
  
How was her father like? Did he have red hair like her? Maybe he had red eyes also. After all, she had to get hers from somewhere, and although she had inherited certain features from her mom, there probably was some thing she got from him. Would he appear like a human like he had appeared to mom? Or maybe, would he appear as some monster? Would they recognize each other? Would he try to convert her into a full Mazoku? Or maybe try to get the staff and sword? Well, too bad for him. She had been training and reading up on various magics. If he wanted them, he'd have to fight for them. But, it'd be nice if he answered her questions.  
  
She thought some more. Her mom had been dead for over a year now. There was a slight pain in her heart, but she had pushed it down so often that she didn't always register its existance. She had to make herself immune to that hurt. Mazoku thrived on negative emotions. He might use that against her.  
  
She rested. If she slept, then the time would travel faster. Tomorrow she might go to the city and get something to eat. Or something like that. She yawned.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos sighed. He finally made it. There was the pond/lake thing... the Pond of Gold. He scanned the area and noticed many things at once. Merlina had drawn out her sigils already and was in the middle, beginning the incantation already. Already the winds were stirring around her as she concentrated. He could see the five pointed star, drawn with expertise and a drop of dragon's blood in each of the intersections and corners. The drops were easy to see. They twinkled like rubys as the magic began to be concentrated in each one. Another thing he noticed were two figures coming from the city at the east. With a gasp, he saw that they were golden dragons, and were making a headline for Merlina.  
  
He quickly flew closer to Merlina and shouted to her in the middle of the wind storm she was conjuring up.  
  
"Merlina! Watch out!" he shouted. Merlina's eyes widened with shock and looked up.  
  
"Xellos!?" she asked herself. The magic around her faltered slightly. She was about to turn back to it when she saw that one of the dragons was flying straight for Xellos... wait! Dragons? They must have felt her try to do a Demon summoning and were obviously were going to stop her. And they probably thought Xellos was helping her. "Watch out, Xellos!" She screamed. She dropped her summon in mid incantation and quickly formulated a shield about Xellos. "Dragon's Shield!!!"  
  
Xellos turned around and saw the one Dragon throwing a blast of fire at him. He covered his face knowing full well that it would be useless, but he couldn't just stand there looking surprised. But he did end up looking surprised when nothing hit him. Appearing before him was a silvery looking shield that had taken the blast and bounced it back to the Dragon. The dragon himself had barely escaped his own blast and looked astounded. Xellos turned around to yell his thanks. But saw Merlina on her fours, panting, looking as if she had spent all her energy. Which she had.  
  
"Merlina!" said Xellos as he flew to her aid. But the other Dragon had reached her already. He roughly grabbed her by the arm, nodded at the other Dragon and then vanished, taking Merlina with him.  
  
"Where did he take her?" he asked furiously to the other Dragon. He just looked at him taking in his angry eyes and wild, purple hair. He didn't answer back. He reared its head back and once more threw a burning fireball, although this time, it wasn't aimed at Xellos, but at the star Merlina had drawn.  
  
"Doesn't matter." he said to Xellos. "She won't be casting summons to Mazoku anymore. I'm letting you go this time, because you weren't the one casting that. But if we ever see you again or feel you do what she tried to do, we'll take care of you also." With that, he too vanished.  
  
Xellos suddenly felt weak. He floated down to where the star used to be. He felt a small trace of Mazoku, but that soon vanished. He looked around and found her stuff. It was over to the side, protected by being under a brush. The blast hadn't destroyed her materials, which was good. Also, with her bag was her sword and her staff. He carefully slung her bag over his shoulder and held her staff and sword.  
  
It was the first time he had touched them. Merlina was always very careful with them. He could see why. Up close, now that he could touch it, he recognized the sword. Who wouldn't? It was the legendary Sword of Light. What Merlina was doing with it was beyond him, but she had always seemed to have it. The staff, though was completely unknown to him. It was a beautiful staff, with a pronged end holding a round and perfectly clear crystal. He'd put her things in the city and then figure out where the Dragons had taken Merlina. She had cancelled her summoning to throw that shield on him to keep him from being friend. Well, he'd pay kindness back. There was no way he'd leave a friend stranded.  
  
"Don't worry, Merlina." he told himself. "I'll save you, just like you saved me."  
  
*****  
  
Merlina woke up and found herself in a dungeon, with manacles clasped to her wrists and ankles and those were connected via an iron chain to the wall behind her. She struggled briefly against them seeing if there was a weak link. Her back hurt, her face hurt, her arms hurt, her legs hurt, and her hair was a mess. She was definately extremely angry. How dare those dragons butt in? Since she was half Mazoku, she concentrated on her anger and channeled it into her magic to try to bust out of the chains. To her surprise, she saw that they were being absorbed. She heard someone laughing.  
  
"Good morning. I see you're awake." said the voice. Merlina looked up and glared at the man in the white robe and long blond hair.  
  
"Good morning to you also." she sai while glaring. She ran a hand through her tangled hair. "What do you want? Cause if you're here to bother, you can crawl back under the rock you came from."  
  
"Feisty lady. Of course, I should have guessed that just by seeing your hair." said the man. "Well, my name is Minzal, and I'm to take you to the Council of Dragons so that they can judge you."  
  
"Well, by all means, lead on." said Merlina sarcastically. "Who am I to keep the Council waiting?" Minzal smirked once more and then snapped his fingers and she was suddenly before the Council of Dragons.  
  
'Why, that little...' thought Merlina to herself. 'He could at least have told me that I'd be teleported...' She caught his eyes and sent him a smoldering glare. He smiled and brusher her off. How she wished for a chance to break that jaw of his. It'd be entertaining to see how well he'd smile after that. Speaking of which... she hoped Xellos was allright. And that he'd take care of her things. So that when she escaped, she'd know where her things were.  
  
"Name?" asked one of the elders on the Council. There were only three of them and were of various ages that could be simply catagorized as old and ancient. They all wore white robes and had golden hair although the eldes had white hair. Well, she thought he was the oldest one.  
  
"Merlina." she answered curtly.  
  
"Last name?"  
  
"None." She grinned. They frowned. Merlina had to work hard to not stick her tongue out at them.  
  
"Ms. Merlina. You were seen by the Pond of Gold about an hour ago trying to summon up a Mazoku. Do you refute this claim?" asked the guy with white hair.  
  
"Nope." she said. She looked at them, putting on her most innocent face. "Why, was that wrong?"  
  
"It most certainly was!" exclaimed the one on the right. "Young lady, do you even know what Mazoku are?"  
  
"Now, now, no need to go about insulting the younger generation." said Merlina airily. "Of course I knew. I'm not an idiot. And I can even tell you what type of magic I was calling up on and what the repercussions would have been had I not been able to control him."  
  
"And yet, you tried to do a summoning?" asked the one on the left. "How were you expecting to control him? How can one so young actually do it?"  
  
"Of course I can!" said Merlina. "I'm not stupid. And if you guys can't do it, then I wouldn't be calling myself a high and mighty dragon."  
  
"Why, the impertinence!" said the one with white hair. "Seal her in the dungeans and forbid her food or drink for three days. We will see how she acts then. Dismissed!"  
  
"Why thank you so much. I was starting to get bored of the company." she said. She felt herself transported to her dungeon and mercilessly dumped on the floor.  
  
"Ouch." she exclaimed as she got off and dusted her clothes. At least she wasn't chained to the wall anymore. She found a small bunk and sat on it and then took off one of her boots to massage her foot. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so rude." She thought a little more. "Nah... they deserved it... Dragons... who needs them! Noisy little bags of hot air...."  
  
*****  
  
Once in the city, Xellos began to get some information. He had rented a room to stow his things but he had hidden Merlina's staff and sword on himself. If he were to loose them... he didn't even want to know what Merlina would do. She certainly seemed much stronger than what he had thought.  
  
The first place where he went was the tavern. People talked when they were drunk. He knew that from his relations to the other guys in Zephyria. And he bought a small cup of tea (he had the tea leaves with him and had payed the man to bring him some hot water so that he could brew his tea in) and silently heard them talk.  
  
After fifteen minutes of useless information floating about him, he was about to give up. But just then, a man entered the tavern. He looked to be in his mid 30s and had a powerful build. He made a beeline for Xellos.  
  
"Is the seat occupied?" he asked Xellos. Xellos shook his head. "Thanks." He sat down. Xellos couldn't see the man's eyes because his black bangs covered them. "What are you drinking?"  
  
"Tea." said Xellos curtly.  
  
"They serve tea here?" asked the man, sounding very surprised.  
  
"I paid for a cup of hot water. The tea leaves are my own." said Xellos.  
  
"How smart. Perhaps if I bring my coffee mix, they might serve me a cup of water to drink coffee?" wondered the man. Xellos shrugged. What a weird person. "Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm talking to you."  
  
"Yes, sort of." said Xellos.  
  
"I am a chef." said the man. "My name is Nihl."  
  
"And?" asked Xellos.  
  
"I especialize in Dragon Cuisine." said Nihl. At this, Xellos's attention was captured.  
  
"Really?" he asked.  
  
"As a chef, I've been to many Dragon holds, you know. My knowledge is quite extensive." said Nihl. "I was by the Pond of Gold this morning, seeing if there was anything I could fish, when this young redhead comes. Seeing how serious she looked, I hid but I must admit, my attention was grabbed. It's not everyday one gets to see young adventurer ladies, especially with such brilliant red hair."  
  
"So, I take it you saw everything?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Yes." said Nihl. "That Merlina girl, she must be formidably strong to try a summon. Are you two friends?"  
  
"Yes." said Xellos. "I'm trying to find out where she might be. Perhaps you could help me?"  
  
"That's why I'm here." said the man. He smiled, his white teeth seeming to gleam in the semi darkness of the tavern.  
  
"So, how much do you want?" asked Xellos. He had some money with him. Perhaps he could pay him.  
  
"Nothing much." said Nihl. "I'm looking for an apprentice, or cook's helper when I prepare a feast for the Dragons in two days. And I have a new recipe to try out."  
  
"And, how would that help Merlina?" asked Xellos. He was starting to get confused. Nihl leaned closer to him and spoke in hushed tones.  
  
"I have a new recipe that I'd like to serve the Dragon's. If you don't want to partake in it, it's OK. But, the place where they are having the feast is probably where Merlina will be. After all, she's a pretty important person, considering how strong she is. The Dragon's will prefer it if she were nearby, to boast and to keep her under careful scrutiny." whispered Nihl.  
  
"And this dish, what is it called?" asked Xellos, a hint showing in his eyes. Could it be that the man meant....  
  
"Two names, it has." said Nihl. "To them, it's fried chicken, roast duck, pasta, dessert... I call it, Dragon's Bane." He smiled wickedly. "Are you in?"  
  
*****  
  
Merlina bit back a curse as she tried to flood her manacles with magic so that they'd break and let her go. But try as she might, she couldn't. She needed more power if she wanted to get out. She was lucky. It was only absorbing her magic. It could be so much worse...  
  
She sat with a huff on her bed and stared at the opposite wall. The lack of food was surprisingly not killing her. But then, she had heard of Mazoku feeding of anger and other such negative emotions. She nver expected herself to go through that also. Of course, she had never had a chance to try it out since she always had enough food to eat. But now... well, it was sort of nice to know that she could sustain herself even during serious droughts and famines. Oh yeah... and imprisonments by Dragons were food and water were not allowed to the prisoner.  
  
Today was the second day. One more day, and then she'd have to talk to them again. She had better escape before then. Well, truth be told... it was nice to antagonize them. That was probably her Mazoku side starting to come out. How annoying. But then, her other, calmer and nicer side probably wouldn't help in this situation. Given the choice, she'd go for the Mazoku side. After all, the Mazoku in her fought like crazy and was brave and strong. It was the curse of being a Mazoku. Even though she did not agree to all the actions of the Mazoku, she liked a bit. And it was growing more and more each time. And the worse part was that she needed to use this side to stay alive. And that side caused her joy, especially when she got to exercise her power, like she did with those two dragons when she had casted that spell on Xellos. She would have been able to do more, but she was worn out from concentrating so long on her summoning. She had no power left after casting such a complex and high level shield. Merlina resolved to get even more magical endurance so she could be ready next time.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos staid quiet as Nihl moved about the kitchen. They were in a Dragon Hall two hours from the city before. After much deliberation, Xellos had accepted. He had felt no trace of Dragon in the man, so he probably wasn't a spy. And there was something oddly comforting about his magical aura. He could tell that Nihl knew magic but that he preffered to use his hands, especially with cooking.  
  
He looked at himself in the reflection of one of the shinnier pots. His hair had been dyed black and cut shorter so that the Dragons wouldn't recognize him. He had also gotten new clothes so that he didn't look like a priest anymore.  
  
"Xellos, come here!" said Nihl, who stood on top of a chair to stir the boiling concoction in the huge pot.  
  
"Yes, sir?" he asked, like any apprentice would.  
  
"Stir the soup. And mind you don't get any of your hairs falling into it!" said Nihl. Then he whispered. "I'm going to get the pie started." Xellos nodded and got up on the chair to stir the soup.  
  
Nihl had explained the plan to him. The only dish that was actually treated with Nihl's special talents was the dessert, from which most of the Dragon's would eat. It would take some time for it to take effect so that noone would feel bad during the actual feast. It would be in all the pies that Nihl would make. There was apple, pear, peach, strawberry and a bunch of others. And the Dragon's would enjoy it.  
  
"Remember, don't put too much cream on them." said Xellos. He didn't actually want the Dragon's to die. So Nihl had promised him that it wouldn't be as strong. He had said it would be enough to knock them out and send them all sleeping like a bunch of babies...  
  
For the umpteenth time, Xellos wondered at Nihl's interest in killing the Dragon's off. When asked, Nihl had said it was for personal reasons, and for his family. So it was probably revenge. But he couldn't imagine a gold dragon doing harm to anyone. Well,... they tried to fry him but that was because they thought he was with Merlina. And they kidnapped Merlina because she was making a summon. But Nihl gave no more details, and Xellos was left to trust him. Well, he didn't care much. He just had to break Merlina out of there. It was amazing seeing that Merlina was probably in the dungeons right under him. He wished there was an excuse for him to go down...  
  
*****  
  
Merlina sniffed the air. Then she sighed, a heavenly look adorning her features. It smelled delicious! She could feel her mouth watering.  
  
"Um...." she said as she smelled it more. It was pies! There was strawberry and apple pie, her favorite! And there, off to the side was the smell of roast duck and fried chicken. Why, the greedy little.... the Council had probably ordered the feast to be made to tempt her with the delicious smells.  
  
Mentally, she knew she didn't have to eat... well, at least not yet. Part of her wondered how long her body would be able to hang on. She was only half a Mazoku. She'd have to eat sooner or latter. Besides... real food actually tasted and smelled better than the smell of vengance or anger. They were probably trying to drive her crazy with that heavenly smell. Well, she'd show them that Merlina Quertwen wasn't that easy to tame! But! It still did smell wonderful. Delicious. Scrumptious.... she had to stop, lest she truly go mad. Then she chuckled as she imagined a mad version of herself. She'd probably have little fangs and there'd be a maniac gleam everytime she got near food. She'd travel throught out the world, looking for the best in fine cuisine. And she'd destroy everything that got in the way of her and her precious edibles... actually, that would be quite fun!*  
  
*****  
  
The feast was a success. The Dragons certainly enjoyed it and they all dug into their food eagerly. Nihl stood off to the side with his cheff's hat and with Xellos by his side.  
  
"The reason this works so well, Xellos, is because Dragons aren't too great of cooks. They are always far from each other, keeping an eye on things, and fighting, guarding the whole time. There is not much priority in learning how to cook. Sure, they have their cooks, but they can't waste money on good food the whole time. So they save up for special occasions. I imagine capturing your Merlina would be one of them." Xellos reddened.  
  
"She's not... I mean.. We're...." he stuttered. Nihl laughed.  
  
"Just kidding, son. You have got to learn to lighten up." said Nihl. "I can see you two are friends. At least, in the small time I saw you. It's nice to see such honest men about." Xellos turned red.  
  
"Anyway." he said, trying to turn the conversation to something that wouldn't embarass him. "Are we supposed to stay the night here?"  
  
"Yeah." said Nihl. "Sounds perfect, huh? Besides, it's their way of showing hospitality. Thank you, by the way, for helping me with the pies. I didn't know if you would dare help me or not."  
  
"You have done your part, I do mine also. Besides, I learned something." said Xellos.  
  
"I'm sure learning how to poison them is bound to help sometime in the future." said Nihl with a smile.  
  
"No!" said Xellos. "I mean, I didn't mean it like that... I'm into herbs and medicinal plants."  
  
"Ah... that's a nice cover... that way, you can learn about Nature's poisons. You're pretty crafty." said Nihl. Xellos sighed.  
  
"No... it's not like that..." said Xellos desperately. If anyone heard them talking like this... they might even kick them out! And then he couldn't save Merlina.  
  
"Calm down... relax." said Nihl. "I understand you perfectly. Herbology is a good thing to learn. One never knows when they'll get hurt and need to make a poultice against poisons or infections."  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos, glad that the man understood.  
  
They watched the Dragons eat with a smile on their faces. Nihl thought to himself. It was nice to do good things every once in a while. He'd kill the Dragons tomorrow at breakfast. Perhaps some sweet poison in the syrup or pancakes?  
  
*****  
  
It was night. Xellos paced back and forth in his room. Nihl was in the next room sleeping soundly. He helped Xellos get in but the rescuing was up to him. He was to get Merlina and then escape immediately. He had a few more things to tend to and would stay until the next day. So he took a deep breath and opened the door a hint. He listened for guard's footsteps and on hearing none, walked out silently. He almost tripped on the fallen spear of one of the Dragon men guarding his door. It had fallen when the guard had gone to sleep. He steadied himself and then concentrated to find Merlina's aura. Once he found her aura, it was easier work to go down the stairs and around guards. The pies had worked well. All the guards were sleeping. He smirked when he saw a half finished slice on a plate in one of the guard's hand. It was so funny! And better yet, it didn't even kill them. They were just asleep. Well, that's how they seemed. He felt the pulse of one of them and was satisfied that they were just sleeping. With that, he sprinted lightly to make it to where they held Merlina. He went down several flights of stairs and finally made it to the dungeons. There, to the right, was Merlina. She was sleeping on her cot looking quite relaxed.  
  
"Oy... Merlina!" he whispered to her. She didn't wake up. "Merlina!" He didn't want to yell loudly lest the guards wake up. But Merlina didn't even stir. He felt around on the floor and found a small stone. He judged the distance and threw the stone at her making a beeline to her cheek. It never hit her. Her hand had immediately snatched it out of the air and had thrown it back at him. He barely missed the stone. It was obvious he'd have to go to a few more drastic measures. It was beyond his understanding how she seemed to be sleeping so deeply yet so alert at the same time. Alert enough to throw back the stone. He reached into his clothes and brought out his staff. That was something great about magic. He had a place where he could put his things, like the staff. Then it hit him... he should get the keys to unlock the cell... right? Gosh, what an idiot he was. He tiptoed out and found the key on the belt of one of the guards. He slid it out and hurriedly unlocked the door to the cell. He slapped her face gently and after some time, she woke up.  
  
"OK, buster... this is..." she started to say angrily, but a hand clamped over her mouth.  
  
"Hush, Merlina!" whispered Xellos. "We're getting out."  
  
"Oh... it's you..." said Merlina. She got up and stretched. "I had the most wonderful dream, you know."  
  
"Merlina... let's get out of here!" said Xellos as he dragged her out. He then locked the door once more, put the key back, and the two hurriedly ran out of the room into the passage way. As the ran, Merlina looked about her.  
  
"Xellos... all these guards... are they... dead?" she asked hesitantly as she slowed down to a stop before one of the men. Xellos looked at her and grinned.  
  
"Now, that... is a secret!" he said cheerily. Merlina bopped him on the head. "Ouch... Merlina-san,.. that hurt!"  
  
"Serves you right... now... are they?" she asked once more as she took the pulse of one.  
  
"No, they're not." said Xellos. "They're asleep."  
  
"You cast a sleep spell on everyone here?" asked Merlina, aghast. That would have taken lots of talent and power and stamina, considering that everyone here was a magic user.  
  
"Nah..." said Xellos. "I took the easy way out and drugged them. Guess why I'm dressed differently." Merlina looked at him. There was a small beam of moonlight coming from one of the windows so she could see some colors. She reached out to touch Xellos's hair.  
  
"You.. dyed it..." she said. "It looks better purple, thought. It matches your eyes better." She got red and immediately let go. "Anyway... we should get out of here soon!" So the two ran with Xellos leading the way. He took her to his room and then bolted the door. Opening the window, the stepped out and floated.  
  
"Come on." he said. "I don't know how strong the drug was." Merlina hesitated.  
  
"I can't." she said.  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos. "Whyever not?" He thought outloud, trying to figure out the reason. "I mean... let's see... today is the 5th... which means... so... you're time of the month isn't due for another week and a half or so." Merlina reddened.  
  
"How do you know about that?" she asked, her eyebrow raised. Xellos laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Uh...jaja...jaja." he said. "I.. um... I mean... it's a bit obvious when you don't do magic... and after living together one year... one tends to notice when you get more.. um... sensitive... and..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say. Merlina sighed. She counted to ten and took deep breaths.  
  
'Relax', she thought. 'He doesn't mean to be rude... he's always been chivalrous and polite and never complains... treat him better... he's trying to save me... he's trying to help...'  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Merlina. "But, don't ever mention it like that. It's rude!" Xellos bit back the comment that he didn't see how stating the truth was rude... but orders were orders.  
  
"Sorry." he said. "I'll be more... quiet next time..." There was a brief pause. "Well... I guess I could carry you." He had no other brilliant idea how to get Merlina to safety.  
  
"I guess..." she answered. Inwardly... she didn't want to. It was undignified of her, made her seem weak and impressionable.. and she was proud... But she really needed a ride to get out of here. "Can't wait till I get these manacles off."  
  
"Magic absorbers?" asked Xellos. Merlina sighed and nodded. "Aren't they so polite?"  
  
He picked her up softly and then, the two flew off into the night.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter  
  
  
  
*note.... does that seem like anyone you know? *grin* Could it be? Maybe it is a small bit of... premonition...  
  
  
Author's notes  
  
Well? What did you think? Did you enjoy it? I hope you did. This chapter came out a bit quicker since I had a three day vacation to work on it. Yeah! Anyway... how do you like it so much? This is Xellos's experience with Dragons. It's my little explanation on where he learned to cook toxic food. At least, the beginning of when he learns. And my latest new character.... Nihl. I like that name, don't you? Sounds like zero, wonder why....*grin* So, who is he? Don't worry. Some of you smarter people might have figured who is already....right? Well, that's it for now. Hope you guys truly enjoyed this chapter.   
  
Please read and review, it encourages me so much!  
  
Arigato!  
  
  
Hotaru 


	8. Chapter 8

Once Upon a Time  
A Slayers Fic  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer...  
Me poor little girl who is trying to get by in life and graduate from high school while trying to finish all my homework and complete college applications in time and still have time to practice my music, get ready for Christmas concerts, find time to buy presents, wrap them up, do AP Literature reading, try to finish my French correspondence course, and find time to write. Please don't sue. *grin*  
  
Chapter 8  
  
They were silent. The only sound came from the swishing of the wind as they flew speedily. The moon was still out so there was a lot of pale white light around them. Slowly, Merlina settled herself a bit more comfortably. She was a bit tired. Imagine! They had interrupted her sleep to rescue her... so she was tired. And come to think of it, Xellos was probably a bit sleepy also.  
  
'Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it, don'tthinkaboutit....' Xellos chanted this thought in his mind like a mantra, trying to calm down and concentrate on flying and not crashing or falling down or anything like that. He felt Merlina move a bit and get a bit more comfortable against him. He was holding her in his arms, and it was distracting.  
  
It had been no secret, back in Zephyria, that Xellos was a loner. He had done everything by himself, and though he usually didn't hang around with other people much, he hung around with some. Usually guys... and even then, he hadn't done much with them. So, he was a bit awkward with people, especially girls. He'd get all rude and proud when talking to them, and they'd get the point and leave him alone. Which suited him just fine. But after one year of meeting other people and hanging out with Merlina, he wasn't as... nervous. Still!!! This was the first time he actually touched more than a girl's hand. Heck,... this was the first time he had held a girl. So, to keep it simple, he was tense and nervous.  
  
They finally arrived. He gently put her down in front of the inn. Merlina blushed and he did likewise.  
  
"Well, here we are." said Xellos.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina. The two entered and Xellos ordered another bed to be taken to the room. After fifteen minutes of waiting, it was delivered. When they were alone once more, Xellos took out the staff and sword from under the bed.  
  
"You stuck them under the bed?" asked Merlina, her right eyebrow raising.  
  
"Well... I didn't know where to hide them." said Xellos. "Here's the sword and your staff." He handed them reverently to Merlina. Merlina grabbed both of them and her eyes closed with relief on getting them back.  
  
"Thank you." she said as she lightly ran her fingertips across the hilt of her sword. Xellos watched as Merlina got to work on her manacles. With her right hand she wielded her sword and concentrated on using it to try to slice the manacles. Seeing that she was having some trouble, he offered his help.  
  
"I can try, if you want me to help." he said. Merlina had been giving him some lessons in sword play although they had concentrated mostly on staff and hand to hand combat. Still, he knew how to wield one.  
  
"Sure." said Merlina. She handed him the sword. "Be careful with it."  
  
"Your sword or your hand?" he asked, jokingly.  
  
"...um... how about both?" asked Merlina.  
  
After a few minutes of intense concentration and weird positions to put the sword in, the manacles were chipped and Merlina only got a small cut. Xellos had immediately cast a Recovery on her.  
  
"Thanks." said Merlina.  
  
"Sure." said Xellos. Merlina saw her bag beside his bed and reached for it. She took out carefully her flask of blood and checked for her belongings.  
  
"It's all here. Thanks for getting my stuff." said Merlina.  
  
"It's the least I could do after you saving me." said Xellos. "Speaking of which, what was the spell you used to make the shield?"  
  
"Dragon's Shield?" asked Merlina. "Guess."  
  
"Um... it sounds like holy or white magic." said Xellos. Merlina laughed softly.  
  
"Yeah, it does... as if I were calling up a Dragon's power to shield you, right?" asked Merlina. "But, it's not. It's Mazoku spell."  
  
"What?" asked Xellos.  
  
"It's a Dragon's shield. Guess where the Dragon comes from?" asked Merlina. At Xellos's clueless look, Merlina spoke. "It summons up the forms of the millions of dragons slaughtered by the Mazoku to form the shield."  
  
"It does?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Magic is full of ironies." said Merlina. "You may find some in the white magic also. Anyway, enough about that. How did you find me? Oh, and can I have something to eat? I haven't eaten in like two days. And that feast you were helping cook up about drove me nuts."  
  
"Sure," said Xellos. Inwardly, he was shocked... two days? Yet Merlina didn't look weak or anything like that. He went down and then a few minutes later came up with two plates.  
  
"I'm hungry too." said he as he set the plates down.  
  
Merlina's plate was wiped clean in five minutes.  
  
"It was good," she said, sheepishly. Xellos laughed, and she joined in also. Xellos described to her the process in which he found her.  
  
"You went to a tavern and had tea in there?" she asked, looking incredulous.  
  
"Well, I had to find a place where people talked a lot, and I didn't want to drink what they offered. I assumed some hot, boiled water should be relatively free of bacteria, dirt and other things like that. And since I don't like to drink water by itself, I put in some tea." said Xellos in defense of his actions.  
  
"And then this man came and told me that he had seen everything and that he'd like to help me figure out where you were. And he came up with a plan to poison off the dragons." said Xellos.  
  
"What was the catch? Why did he have something against the dragons?" asked Merlina.  
  
Xellos thought back to his conversation. He had asked that question to Nihl.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"So, why do you want to kill them anyway?" asked Xellos as they trekked to the mountain fortress of the Dragons.  
  
"I have my personal reasons." said Nihl with a bitter smile. "But I don't think it'll hurt to tell. It might help people realize that not everything is white and black. A lot of what happens is a murky shade of gray, you know."  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos.  
  
"The short version? Well... my wife died about a year ago." said the man. "The Dragon's had a chance to heal her or to stop her murderer. They didn't. Simple as that."  
  
"They didn't?" asked Xellos, surprised. He had always assumed them to be generally just people. For example, the two dragons that had taken Merlina had done so because she was trying to summon up a mazoku. "So, what did they do?"  
  
"They let my wife's murderer go free." said Nihl, bitterly. "It has taken me a year to gain their confidence. Now, I can avenge her death."  
  
"where were you?" asked Xellos, too curious to stay silent.  
  
"I was on a business trip." said Nihl. "Out of the country at that time. I got news and immediately went there. I've been planning this for a long time, you know. You see, kid... life isn't as straight as one would think. Many say that one thing is good and one is bad. Many people think that a Golden Dragon equals good and that Demos are bad. And then, they stop thinking at that point. But what are you supposed to say when a Dragon does something bad? Or when a Demon saves a child? What happens then? Well, you get gray,.. and that is when you have to drop prejudices."  
  
Xellos nodded. Poor man. No wonder he wanted to kill the dragons so badly. But he didn't really want to. Perhaps he could convince him to make them sleep or something not as drastic...  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"And he wanted to kill the Dragons alone and that is why he told you to find me and to leave?" asked Merlina. She was feeling a bit sad at the story that Xellos told her. "Well, I hope he succeeds."  
  
Xellos looked at her in surprise.  
  
"But that means the Dragons would die." said Xellos.  
  
"It serves them right." said Merlina vehemently. "Just because Dragons usually look good doesn't meant they are. I should know. He does too. Anyway... let's talk about something else." She smiled at him. She knew that it was a bit shocking to him since he was a white priest and he probably didn't hear opinions like hers too often... speaking of which... why was he here?  
  
Xellos was glad to take advantage of this and switched the topic to one that was more neutral.  
  
"Let's talk tomorrow when you wake up." said Xellos.  
  
"Sounds good." she said.  
  
"You're not going to leave during the night, are you?" asked Xellos.  
  
Merlina blushed and laughed. "Caught me there. But, if you insist, I'll leave tomorrow after breakfast."  
  
"I do." said Xellos. He raised his eyebrow. "Goodness... must I keep an eye on you the whole time so that you don't run away?"  
  
Merlina laughed and stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Gosh Xellos, you sound like a parent, already. Growing up so soon?" she asked. Xellos smiled and felt relieved. They were still friends. That was nice. Tomorrow, though... she might get mad at him.  
  
Merlina went to sleep quite content. She had escaped from the Dragons. Xellos still treated her like a friend and a normal human being even though he knew that she was half mazoku, trying to call a full mazoku up and had the Sword of Light in her possession. Life seemed quite nice. After all, it was nice to be back among friends once more. She'd make the most of it before leaving tomorrow.  
  
*****  
  
The morning dawned bright and sunny over the small city of Trystinine. It was a small unimportant city. Not even the proper size of a city, Trystinine rested West of the already mentioned Lake of Gold. Due to its key location, close to a site where summoning a Mazoku could actually done, there was a small Dragon Temple on the outskirts of the town on the side closest to the Lake. A few days ago, a silly human had been caught trying to summon one of those dangerous monsters. Fortunately, the human had been stopped by the Dragon guards that were keeping a watch. Since the human had been taken care off and teleported to the authorities, the townspeople had calmed down and had resumed their daily and normal, mundane life.  
  
The sun's warm rays hit the window at an angle and fell on Merlina's face. Her eyelids fluttered slightly but staid asleep. After a few moments, though, she tossed and turned a bit and finally decided that it was worth waking up.  
  
She got up and yawned prettily and stretched her arms, working out the kinks in her shoulders and back. She then rubbed her eyes and got up to fix the bed. She had woken up later than normal, but that was normal considering she hadn't seen the daylight for the past few days. It was expected that her internal clock be a bit off. However, it would not happen again. She sat on her bed and looked about her. Xellos was on the bed at the other side of the room. She got the one closest to the window. He looked extremely peaceful sleeping there. She felt the corners of her mouth go up. He had also kicked off half of his covers during the night. A warm feeling began somewhere deep in her. Something she had yet to experience, and she enjoyed it while it lasted. He looked so... calm... happy... There was no tension on his face and he had a small smile on his face. She padded softly over to where he was and gently drew the covers to cover him up better. He burrowed under the covers a bit more and staid asleep. Then she smiled and went into the bathroom to freshen up. It was morning, after all, and she was usually dressed and descent looking at this time. Besides, breakfast time was almost here!  
  
*****  
  
Xellos woke up from a refreshing sleep. The past few days he had been sleeping on the road. When he had traveled to here in pursuit of Merlina. Then, when traveling with Nihl, they had slept on the road also. It hurt his back, and if he had the choice, he would definitely not sleep there again. Maybe he should buy a bedroll one of these days and take it with him. He got up and yawned as he stretched his cramped limbs. He looked at the window and saw the clear skies and the unmade bed that Merlina had slept in last night. He heard a slight humming from the bathroom. Which meant that she was up and about. He also got up and fixed his bed. By the time he had finished, Merlina was out of the bathroom.  
  
"Good morning." she said to him.  
  
"Good morning." he answered back as he took his stuff and went into the bathroom. Merlina tidied up her own bed and fixed a few things here and there. When Xellos finally was out, they went downstairs to the dining hall to have breakfast. Once that was over, silence reigned the table.  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"So..." started Xellos. "...what are you going to do now?" He was pretty sure what her answer would be but he asked anyway.  
  
"You know already." said Merlina. "I'm going to the next area. And once more... don't follow me."  
  
"Why?" asked Xellos. His eyes were strict, just like Merlina's.  
  
"Because... it's dangerous." said Merlina. "I thought that was obvious considering what has happened."  
  
"You could get hurt." said Xellos. "And if that happens, then how are you to keep on? Or like last time. What happens if you get caught? Then you won't be able to escape and do the summoning."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't have been caught had you not turned up." said Merlina.  
  
"If I hadn't come, you wouldn't have even known they were there." said Xellos. The two glared at each other. Finally, Merlina sighed.  
  
"Come on.. let's look at this rationally." said Merlina. "Pros of you staying here....1. You get to live a normal life. 2. You won't get hunted down by Dragons. 3. You won't be hunted or chased by Mazoku. 4. You won't have to deal with Mazoku, period. 5. You can start your life with no problems..."  
  
"Actually, Merlina," interrupted Xellos. "You have only given me one reason, which is that I'll get to live a, what you call, normal life."  
  
"There are five so far." said Merlina testily.  
  
"Anyway..." said Xellos. "The Pros of my joining into your little adventure are... 1. I won't be bored to tears. I like adventure also, Ms. Merlina. 2. I'll be able to heal you if you get hurt along the way. 2. I'll be able to give you a hand if you end up fighting. 3. In case you are captured, I can find help or try to rescue you. 4. I will learn some more about the outside world, and see new sights. 5. We can still continue the lessons. 6. There is safety in numbers. 7. We can take turn keeping watch at night so that we are safer that way. 8. In cases where you can't use your magic, I can help."  
  
"A con of you going along is the fact that you'll be confronting Mazoku and Ryuzoku alike." said Merlina. "And if worse comes to worse... you can die."  
  
"If worse comes to worse, we'll fight them both off." correctly Xellos.  
  
"You are impossible." hissed Merlina, her red eyes flashing like lightning.  
  
"And why do you not want me to come along?" asked Xellos. "It would benefit you enormously."  
  
"That's not the point!" said Merlina in an exasperated tone.  
  
"Then what is?" asked Xellos, still acting cool and controlled.  
  
"The point is that this is none of your business." said Merlina. "It's a family matter, and it will stay as MY family matter. I don't want other people just hanging around because it will be fun and interesting." She stared at him, daring him to offer a rebuttal against what she had just said. Xellos thought a bit.  
  
"I understand that you don't want intruders," he said slowly. "But... well... I consider myself your friend. And honestly, you're the best friend I've ever had. Well, then again, I haven't had tons either. But, I wouldn't want to loose a great friend like you. Let me follow. We can keep an eye on each other. Besides, I don't have another place to go and I don't fit anywhere else."  
  
"There's Tryyad." mumbled Merlina. She was shocked at what he had said. Sure, she also saw him as a friend... but, she didn't know he thought that also... There was some silence. Xellos could tell that she was thinking hard. He could almost imagine smoke coming from her temples. Well, he wouldn't tell her that, lest she get mad... After a few minutes of thought, Merlina finally spoke.  
  
"How's this for a compromise." said Merlina. "You can follow me. My next stop is a month's travel from here. But, you won't interfere in my dealings with the Mazoku." She fixed him with a glare. "It is imperative that you not butt in while I deal with business. But other than that, you are free to follow or to depart." There was some silence. "How about it?"  
  
"I can handle that." said Xellos. "But..."  
  
"No buts." said Merlina. "That's as much as I'm willing to compromise." Xellos thought a bit.  
  
"OK." he said. Merlina stood up.  
  
"I'll be going out to buy supplies." she said. "I'll be back for supper."  
  
"OK." said Xellos again. She turned to leave and then turned back. She smiled at him and touched his shoulder.  
  
"Xellos? Thank you." she said, her voice soft and shy. She then left the dining room.  
  
Xellos smiled to himself.  
  
*****  
  
One whole month of traveling... They had left immediately to their next location, which was due South-West. It was not the next area on the list of places of summoning though. Merlina had explained to him that the Dragons were probably aware of a certain human girl and her friend trying to summon a Mazoku. The most likely place would have been to go North to Myriant. Instead, they traveled in the opposite direction to a different city. Xellos, being level headed and calm, stated that it didn't matter since all areas would be guarded by the Dragons, no matter what. But, Merlina wanted to go to Senarry. So, Senarry it would be.  
  
During that one month, they encountered many things. For one, there were quite a few bandits who thought that two young travelers meant quick money. Merlina and Xellos quickly put a stop to that train of thought, although some of the more persistent and stubborn members didn't seem to get the idea. This group, for example....  
  
"I don't want to fight. So bug off." said Merlina. She was wearing her black cloak and her normal black and red ensemble. In her hand she held her diamond tipped staff. Hidden within the folds of her cloak was her bag and her sword was strapped to her waist.  
  
"It's OK, you don't have to fight!" said the leader of the bandits. "All you have to do is hand over all your valuables and we'll both go away happy." There were a few wicked snickers from the group that tried to radiate evil. To Merlina, they sounded like children.  
  
"I'm warning you," said Xellos. "You better leave now. You don't want to see the lady angry." He was also wearing his black cloak and all black clothes. He held his staff loosely. He cut a pretty dramatic figure beside Merlina as the wind blew their loose hair.  
  
"So, are you going to hand over your stuff?" asked the leader. Merlina noted, with some distaste, that half of his teeth were missing. He drew his sword, the edges with nicks and rusty spots that not only would relieve you of your arm, but also leave a nasty infection.  
  
"I warned you." said Xellos as he watched Merlina's eyes begin to twinkle with mischief. It was always like this. She'd say that she didn't want to fight, but deep down inside, she truly wanted to. For her, it was like flexing her magical muscle. She had to blast some bandits to actually be happy and carefree. She was best in a fight. Xellos, personally, didn't like fighting too much. But he could hold his own. Merlina had kept on giving him lessons and the two sparred, either hand to hand or staff to staff, or sword to sword, or anything goes. So, he could fight. But Merlina seemed to enjoy it so much. It was a pity to interrupt her play. After all, that is what it was to her. It was fun. She never hurt them too badly. Just enough to make them think the next time. So he sat on a rock and watched with amusement as Merlina's eyes glittered.  
  
She made a quick motion with her hands and the leader's eyes widened as he felt himself float slightly in the air. He drifted closer to Merlina. She 'tsk'ed at the state his sword was in.  
  
"Such a pity." started Merlina. "It must have been such a nice sword before you started to kill rats just to make it look old and rusty." There was an uneasy silence coming from the rest of the bandits.  
  
"Just look at this!" continued Merlina, as if she were the only one there. With another wave of her hand, the rest of the bandits were caught in similar spells and brought closer to where Merlina was. And then, she gave them a quick lesson.  
  
"Now... I know it's fashionable to make your sword look like it's been used to slaughter countless humans before, but when you do this, it's just too much!" she said. She drew the man's sword and pointed to a few nicks here and there. "Sure, they look used... but then again, I bet his wife used the sword to try to chop up rats in their house. Nicks probably came from bad aim, not beheading humans. And look at this!" She fingered some of the rusty area on the sword. She put it to her nose and took a small sniff. "Just dried up paint. Blood has a type of tangy smell to it after it dries on your sword. I know... I have experience." She grinned wickedly. The men began getting worried. "Would you like to see?" The men frantically shook their head. "Such a pity..." She put on a sorrowful face. "And I so wanted you to see how a real bloodstained sword looks like..." But then she brightened up, her smile cute and innocent. "But, now that it's over... I'm afraid you'll have to pay up. I don't give lessons freely, you know."  
  
After relieving the men of their money, valuables and weapons, Merlina put them down.  
  
"Thanks for your cooperation!" she said happily. Then she let go of the spell that held them. "You can go now... unless you want another lesson. Of course, it'll cost you dearly though." She smiled at them. They turned around and ran. She laughed softly and then turned to Xellos. "Score?"  
  
"9 out of 10," said Xellos promptly with a smile. She looked extremely innocent like that. It was hard not to smile back. It was hard to realize that she actually did have the power to blast the bandits into the next month with just a thought. Truly, life and magic were ironic, just like Merlina taught. Oh, hadn't he mentioned it? Merlina not only taught him how to fight, but talked about magic, history, and one of her favorite subjects... philosophy and the way things were. It always amazed him how a 18 year old girl knew so much on so many things.  
  
"Just a nine?" asked Merlina, her mouth set into a frown.  
  
"Too short." explained Xellos. Merlina laughed.  
  
"I'll try next time." said Merlina. "Can't have my judge all bored and stuff, right?"  
  
"Right." said Xellos. And they split up the money and were once more on the way to Senarry.  
  
*****  
  
At night...  
  
There was a fire crackling in the cold dark night. It emitted golden red sparks as another piece of wood was thrown in. Two figures sat around the small fire.  
  
"What's for supper?" asked Xellos as he watched Merlina spear the chunks of meat on a spear.  
  
"Normal, plain, mundane beef." she answered. She then gave one to Xellos and the two put them into the fire to roast. The silence of the night was only interrupted by the sounds of twigs crackling in the fire that Merlina had so conveniently lighted up with a small Fireball.  
  
"So, how long till we get to the next city?" asked Xellos. He turned his stick so that his beef wouldn't get crispy on one side.  
  
"About a week." said Merlina. She was also spinning it. After finishing supper, they just sat there, talking.  
  
"Merlina... how much white magic do you know?" asked Xellos during a lull in their conversation. "I mean... I've mostly seen you cast black... and then some levitation,... Ray Wind... Shields... and then some miscellaneous magics."  
  
"White magic?" asked Merlina. "Honestly... very little. I'm not too good at it. I can cast a small Recovery, though. It took me months to learn it, though."  
  
"How come?" asked Xellos. "I mean..."  
  
"Well... here are my thoughts on it... mixed in with some of my mom's." said Merlina. Now that her mission was getting closer, she didn't feel as much pain when she talked about her mother. "My mother, if you listened to some of the rumors at Zephyria... well, first of all, do you even know what the rumors were?" At his clueless look, Merlina laughed. "You know... it's been so long!"  
  
"Yeah... it's like almost a different life." said Xellos. "Can you believe it's over a year?"  
  
"Unbelievable." said Merlina, in a tone of reminiscence. Then she straightened up. "Well... first of all, my mother wasn't a witch, contrary to popular belief. She was actually a pretty high level priestess of the Dragon God Ceipheed."  
  
"What?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina. "Anyway... she was the best. She inherited this sword from her parents, who were both High Priests to Ceipheed also." She took out the sword at her side. "You probably recognized it when you took care of it after I got captured..."  
  
"It's the legendary Sword of Light, right?" asked Xellos. Merlina smiled.  
  
"Yes." she said. "My mom passed it on to me. Anyway... I have the blood of very good white magicians running through me. So, normally, white magic would have been a cinch."  
  
"But... with your dad being a Mazoku,..." said Xellos.  
  
"Exactly." said Merlina. "So,... I'm sort of stuck. My mother formulated a theory on it. It doesn't have much polish or magical evidence,... but that is because... be honest... how many half human-half mazoku children are there?"  
  
"Not many... the only one I know... well... that's you." said Xellos.  
  
"That's true." said Merlina. "Actually... mom said that there might be a few more... but they are either too weak in a physical sense... or they were killed by their human or mazoku parents." There was some silence. Then Xellos spoke again.  
  
"So, what was the theory your mother thought off." he asked.  
  
"Well... I jokingly called it the Law of Dominance. She didn't like it." said Merlina. "Anyway... Black and white magic are equally strong in their fields, right? I mean, you can't get really potent fighting spells with black... but you can't heal with black. White can heal, but can't fight. So mixed, you have a bunch of possibilities. Black can't totally defeat white because they sort of complement each other. But Black is slightly stronger because Dad is a full Mazoku. Mom wasn't a Dragon, she was human. So even though she had a lot of white ability, it isn't as strong as Dad's black ability. So, I get a mix where Black is the stronger, but I still have white. That explains why I can cast black easily, but white takes a long time to learn. I can still cast it, but it's harder. Do you get what I'm getting at?" Xellos listened in a fascinated way at her lecture. Sure, it had nothing to do with him, but everything to do with her. It was a pretty well thought out theory.  
  
"That's pretty interesting." said Xellos. "You know... she must have been pretty smart to figure something like that out."  
  
"She was." said Merlina.  
  
"Makes me wonder, though..." said Xellos. "And don't tell anyone that I'm wondering this. If you do... my reputation will be ruined. But what happens... if a Mazoku and a Ryuzoku actually have a child?"  
  
"That's..." started Merlina, but then she stopped. "Yeah... I wonder?"  
  
"I mean... hypothetically speaking... the white and black would be on the same level. So black can't dominate. And white can't dominate either." said Xellos.  
  
"You could end up with an offspring that is magically inept." said Merlina after some thought. "But that is only if they cancel each other out."  
  
"Or... you might end up with one that can cast both types strongly." said Xellos. "Imagine... someone casts a huge attack spell, and then casts a Mega Recovery on all the survivors."  
  
"But casting such... opposite magics would have a high cost on the individual, don't you think?" asked Merlina. "I mean... we all know that there is a price for casting all the magic we do. Calling on the dark side is risky. How about white? What risk do you run? I never learned too much about it since... I don't worry too much about that."  
  
"Well... it might not sound as bad as pledging oneself to a demon, but it isn't a laughing matter either. As you call on Ceipheed, you ask for help to restore life. But life has to come from somewhere, you know." said Xellos, thinking hard. "So, the life comes from those who cast the magic. It's not a huge amount, thought. Recoveries take such a small amount it's insignificant. And we are always gaining energy. But if we cast something big, like a Resurrect... that takes a lot of energy. It saps all your energy and then some more. The final end is that...well... it ends up cutting into your own life."  
  
"So, you end up probably dying sooner?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Basically." said Xellos. Then he grinned. "But then again, it hasn't been tested. It's a bit hard to give evidence for this, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I can imagine." said Merlina. "Out of curiosity, can you cast black?"  
  
"I know the lower level spells." said Xellos with a smile. "I can cast, Fireball, Flare Arrow, Flare Bit... all the small ones. I don't really want to worry myself about a Dark Lord coming to collect on a huge debt and a shortened life at the same time."  
  
"Well... I must admit... whether ones specialty is black or white... magic isn't as easy as it seems." said Merlina.  
  
"True." said Xellos. "Which probably explains why not everyone is a sorcerer."  
  
"Add to that the fact that some people have no empathy with magic and that it takes lots of concentration." said Merlina.  
  
"But, you know something? Magic is fun! Sorcerers and Healers can have a pretty good life and who cares if life is a bit shorter for them? One must make as much of their life as possible, after all. After all,... what is there to fear about Death?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing." said Merlina. "After all, you don't hear the dead complaining." The two smiled. After a bit, they went to sleep. Tomorrow would be a brand new day. Merlina smiled in her sleep.  
  
'Nope.' she thought. 'There is absolutely nothing to worry about death...'  
  
  
  
End of Chapter  
  
  
Hi! Thank you to the brave and courageous souls who reviewed! It was great to see your review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Not much action... mostly lots of thinking and lots of foundational stuff. But concerning the question on magic... the Law of Dominance is based on the same law as proposed by Gregor Mendel when he spoke about genetics. I thought it fitted quite well with how magic is structured here. And the price of magic... well... that was all my imagination. Basically, magic can't be free. There is no fun in it. So if there is a price to it, an element of importance is added to it. Black calls on Shabby-kuns power. Pledging oneself to a demon is quite dangerous. The caster counts on a lot of self will to be able to keep the magic in control. But how about white? If everyone can become a healer, then there's no need for doctors. Well, not as much. I read somewhere that it can heal cuts... but can't totally cure sickness... I don't know if it's an established fact of Slayersdom or not. Still... what price is there to heal someone? The one that came up, for me, was actual life. Healing someone means that there is an importance that they live. Life energy can't always come from Ceipheed because it also involves the one that is casting.  
  
Anyway, enough on this. The next chapter will be out very, very soon since I'm in Christmas break! So, if you review, I'll get it up mega pronto! (so, please review???? (grin))  
  
Take care people! It'd be nice if you reviewed. Imagine the life of a solitary writer without input. Pathetic, isn't it? *grin* Till next time!  
  
  
Hotaru 


	9. Chapter 9

Once Upon a Time  
written by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Enjoy.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
They had finally arrived at Senarry. It was a beautiful city. It was atop a high hill so all the land around it was at a lower elevation than the actual city. It had a heavily constructed wall surrounding it on which grew tons and tons of ivy, the green leaves and vines hanging on to whatever it could. It had violet-purple flowers here and there and they were blooming. There were four entrances into the city, one at each Cardinal Point, which were North, South, East and West. There were a few Dragon guards on the walls keeping watch on the comings and goings of the humans.  
  
"See, what did I tell you?" asked Xellos as they approached the city wall. "They have mounted surveillance already."  
  
"Who cares." said Merlina. "I can easily deal with them. And if worse comes to worse... I have my faithful and talented friend to fend them off." Xellos looked around him with a lost expression on his face.  
  
"Who, me?" he asked with a smile.  
  
"Duh, who else?" she asked back. "After all, that's why I pay you."  
  
"Actually, you don't." said Xellos with a sweatdrop.  
  
"That's cause you never asked." said Merlina with a grin. They walked in and waited for the Dragon guard to check them in and give them a permit to be in the city. Merlina had changed her appearance, as had Xellos. If the news that a girl called Merlina had escaped from the fortress of the Dragons, leaving in its wake the death of many dragons, then any redhead would be under careful scrutiny. So she had cut her hair. Xellos personally thought it looked better long. Merlina smiled at him and gave him her hair.  
  
"Well, then... you can hang on to it, if you wish." she had said. They dyed their hair black and in a small town they had passed a few days ago they had bought new clothes so that they looked like merchants instead of a roving wanderer and a priest.  
  
Merlina had on a reddish brown shirt and brown pants with brown boots. She also wore a forest green cloak instead of her normal black one. Her clothes were of fine material so she looked more 'merchantly'. She carried her haversack, now filled with jewels that she had collected from her various encounters with the dark side of society. In her hand, she held a normal staff, her own being hidden somewhere on her person. But she still kept her sword buckled at her side.  
  
Xellos wore a dark blue ensemble with black boots and black gloves and a black cloak. He held the staff that Merlina had given him in his right hand. He also had a bag that was filled with bottles of fluids and various spices, ready to be sold. The looked like siblings and decided to pass themselves off as twin brother and sister. Even Merlina's hair had been trimmed to look similar to Xellos's.  
  
"Who goes there?" asked the guard at the gate.  
  
"We are but humble merchants selling our wares." said Xellos as he and Merlina bowed. "She is my sister, Lina. I am called Xellos."  
  
"How long will you be staying here?" asked the guard. His golden brown eyes stared at the two of them in a hostile manner.  
  
"We will be staying here at the most, one week, sir." said Lina. She wore a pair of glasses with rose tinted lenses so that it looked like her eyes were red due to the coloration of the lense. Nobody paid too much attention to them since merchants always had something new and interesting, which in this case were a pair of tinted sunglasses.  
  
"Are any of you practitioners of black magic?" asked the guard.  
  
"My sister is incapable of casting magic, sir. I myself know white magic only. My repertoire of black spells is severely lacking." Well, it was basically true that Merlina couldn't cast magic, due to a small delicate and female problem. It would be a non-existent condition in two days, according to Merlina. Plenty of time to find a place to stay, hatch a plan and then put it in order.  
  
The guard wrote them a permit and allowed them in. The permit allowed them to sell, buy or barter for the length of their stay, but as soon as one week was over, they were to leave the city immediately. He glanced at them once more as the siblings entered the city, their footsteps moving in sync with each other.  
  
"Rather suspicious, they are." said Xellos.  
  
"Understandable." said Merlina. "Considering that the actual area to cast magic is in the city itself, in the Dragon Temple. We must find a way in."  
  
"OK." said Xellos. They fist stopped at a jewelers were they sold quite a few of Merlina's magical amulets and talismans. They pretended to have gotten them from someone else who was a renown sorcerer. That way, it looked as if they actually did some business. Besides, Merlina enjoyed having extra money floating about in case of an emergency. Then the headed over to an apothecary to sell a few of Xellos's potions and herbs. After making some money, they rented a room. As usual, it was one room with two bedrooms. It was, after all, more practical and economical. And since they were acting like family, it would be normal and not as out of place as just two friends staying together. Right? Right.  
  
The next day, Merlina woke up feeling much better than the night before. For one....  
  
"Fireball," she whispered softly. A small ball of incandescent fire appeared above her opened hand, floating a centimeter above her palm. She quickly extinguished it and punched the air. "Yes!" she cried.  
  
"What? Huh?" asked Xellos as hurriedly woke up on hearing Merlina's exclamation. "What happened?" Merlina looked sheepishly at him.  
  
"Uh... jeje...hi... morning!" she said with an innocent voice.  
  
"Morning." said Xellos as he raised his eyebrow. "So, could you tell me what just happened?"  
  
"Um... I was seeing if I could cast magic." said Merlina with an awkward smile.  
  
"Oh... I see..." said Xellos. He had on a look that a parent sometimes gives a child when they catch said child recounting a fib.  
  
"And... I was really exited when I found out I could." explained Merlina. "And, I sort of got carried away."  
  
"OK." said Xellos. He grabbed his pillow. "Keep quiet next time." He grinned at her and then threw it at her. Merlina got hit in the face.  
  
"Hey!" she cried. "Oh yeah? This is war!" She grabbed hers and his and threw them at him. He retaliated by throwing the pillows and then grabbed his covers and threw it on her. Their peals of laughter were uninterrupted for a few minutes until they realized how childish they were acting and tried to compose themselves.  
  
Merlina had almost gotten there when she looked at Xellos trying to compose himself. One look at his messed up hair due to sleep, and pillows and feathers sent her laughing once more.  
  
"What?" asked Xellos as he fingered his unruly hair.  
  
*****  
  
"OK," said Merlina as they had breakfast. They had organized their room and it looked nicer now. "We'll go to the temple today and figure out how to get in and how it's guarded."  
  
"And then?" asked Xellos. It was more exact to say that Xellos had breakfast while Merlina watched. She had, after all, finished a few minutes ago.  
  
"And then..." said Merlina. "I cast a summoning spell."  
  
"You make it sound so much easier than it actually is, you know." said Xellos.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina with a grin. "That's cause I'm still trying to figure out how to distract the Dragons. Out of curiosity, how good are you at casting a shield?"  
  
"Me?" asked Xellos.  
  
"No, the pink bunny holding a staff, riding a frog behind you." said Merlina with a straight face.  
  
"Well, I honestly think that he isn't too good at it." said Xellos with a face that was just as serious as Merlina's.  
  
"Would you do better?" she asked with a smirk.  
  
"I'd think so." said Xellos.  
  
"For, say... five minutes?" asked Merlina.  
  
"I might." said Xellos, seeing where this was going.  
  
"Don't worry, though," said Merlina. "I won't have you at the temple. After all, how are you to escape when the summoning is over? Don't worry, I'll think of something." She grinned. He smiled, but not as strongly. The time was coming closer, and Xellos found himself getting more and more nervous.  
  
*****  
  
The next day, the two had joined a small tour through the Dragon Temple that was offered to tourists. It was a way for the city to make money, and the guides, guards, attendants and janitors were all Dragons in their human guise.  
  
"Wow... so many dragons everywhere." said Merlina to Xellos as a guide showed them around the area.  
  
"Yeah... " said Xellos. It would be hard to break in.  
  
"... and this area is unfortunately cut off to visitors. So if you would follow me over here..." said the guide until Merlina interrupted.  
  
"Excuse me... why is it cut off?" she asked as she pointed toward the dark brown door. It lead to the center of the Temple and was guarded by two men in armor. The door had many locks and a heavy horizontal beam reinforced with metal that kept the door shut.  
  
"Inside is an area of utmost secrecy. Only the one in charge of the Dragon Temple here can enter and he can only go in for five minutes. Not even the janitors are allowed in." said the guide.  
  
"How come?" asked Merlina with a look of utter innocence.  
  
"It is not allowed for me to say, miss." said the guide as he lead them down another passage way.  
  
Xellos and Merlina whispered among themselves.  
  
"It's probably in there." she whispered, her eyes lighting up. She was so close...  
  
"Yeah... but did you see how heavily guarded it is?" asked Xellos. "How are you planning on getting in?"  
  
"Never fear. I'll think of something." she said with a smirk. Then she paid attention to the guide, listening and remembering everything he said and did. She remembered the directions to the door. And she remembered every little detail that would help her figure out how to get in.  
  
*****  
  
The tour was over and done with. Merlina and Xellos were in a small cafe and having a snack. She had a glass of juice while he had a cup of tea. It was a small outdoor cafe. The tables were arranged in a circle around a small fountain. There was lots of talking, and there was even a young man singing and playing the lute in the center. At the end of each song, the people would clap politely whether they were listening to the music or not.  
  
"So, how are you going to figure this out?" asked Xellos. "We have five more days before we have to leave."  
  
"The portal is weakened the most on the fifth day." said Merlina as she stirred her drink and added some sugar. "That day, the room will have even more guards. I'll do it before then."  
  
"But..." started Xellos. "... that means that it'll be harder to perform the summoning."  
  
"Yeah, I know." said Merlina. "But I can handle it." She smirked. "That's one of the plusses of being a half-mazoku. Performing a normal summoning in the middle of nowhere would kill me. But at a site, where the fabric of reality is weak, I can do it. It doesn't matter whether it is at the appointed day or not. Obviously, it'll be easier on the fifth day... but I'm not running the risk. I bet it'll be closed on that day and no one will be allowed in."  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" asked Xellos. He had been wondering about that ever since they came into the city. So many guards, so much security, and a lone girl breaking in. Well, he'd be breaking in also, but Merlina had told him to stay out. Well, he would... but he would still follow her around.  
  
"Don't worry." said Merlina. "The less you know, the more innocent you'll be." She smiled. A plan was forming in her head already.  
  
The next day, Merlina went to explore the town. She went everywhere. She had breakfast at the inn she was staying at, Lunch at the north end, walked to the south to visit shops, had a snack at the east sided and then had dinner at the west side. Xellos traveled with her. They bought a few travel supplies. She had some dried food bought. Then she sold a few more jewels so that their bags were lighter.  
  
"Can we go back now?" complained Xellos as he walked beside her. They had spent the whole day walking everywhere."  
  
"Tired already?" asked Merlina with an incredulous look on her face. "But look at all the shops! And I be there's a library somewhere over there!"  
  
"But it's ten at night already!" said Xellos. "You know... I bet it closed at 8. So can we go now? I feel like I'm going to fall asleep any minute now."  
  
"Don't worry!" said Merlina. She pointed to a small restaurant that was still amazingly open. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee there and you won't feel like sleeping anymore!" She dragged him over.  
  
"Lina, I don't want a cup of coffee." he said as he was lead into the restaurant. The waiters were amazed at seeing two clients enter. They held in their rude remarks and annoyance as they went to work once more. They had been about to close....  
  
"I'll have a plate of rice, chicken and potatoes." said Merlina happily as she sat down. Xellos sat across from her. The waiter nodded and sent the message to the cook. Xellos looked at her with surprise on his tired face.  
  
"Just that?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah... it's just a snack." said Merlina. "Don't worry. We'll hire a carriage to take us back to the inn."  
  
"You'd better." said Xellos. The food was out in three minutes and she was finished in five. She gave them a generous tip and then was out of the restaurant. The workers gave a ragged cheer and hurriedly closed up before someone else decided to come in and eat.  
  
*****  
  
The next day...(I know... again....)  
  
Xellos watched Merlina's going ons. She went to the park and had an ice-cream and played on the swings. She went to the library and read a mystery/romance novel. She went to the restaurant and had a huge lunch. She went to the park again to spar with him. He had, but since his mind was so preoccupied on other things, he did quite poorly. It ended with him sitting out and Merlina helping a little boy learn the proper stance to hold a staff. She even made on for him.  
  
"Where are we going now?" asked Xellos as Merlina came back and wiped her forehead with her sleeve.  
  
"I don't know." she said. "I visited all the areas I wanted to. How about you? Do you want to go elsewhere?" Xellos sighed. It had been like that all morning. She'd go somewhere.... and just have fun! There were no worries on her face, and she smiled the whole time. He, on the other hand... was nervous. Nervous, high strung and irritable.  
  
"No, I've visited the whole, stupid city with you yesterday and today." he said in a grumbling fashion. Merlina looked at him.  
  
"Are you OK?" she asked, sounding more serious than she had in the morning.  
  
"No, I'm not." he said testily. He crossed his arms.  
  
"How come?" she asked him. Xellos snorted.  
  
"I'd think that was obvious." he said. Merlina's smile left her face and she turned sad. She sat beside him in silence, not knowing what to do.  
  
"You want to talk about it?" she asked after a bit. Xellos sighed. He thought a bit. He knew he shouldn't get so mad at her. But he was. Actually, now that he thought about it....  
  
"You really want to know?" he asked. She nodded. "OK. Does the fact that tomorrow will be the day we're kicked out of this town remind you of anything?"  
  
"Yes." said Merlina. "It means that tomorrow is the ideal time to cast the summoning."  
  
"Good... you remembered." said Xellos. Merlina shot him a look.  
  
"I'm not that stupid." she grumbled. Xellos pretended to not have heard her.  
  
"Anyway... remember we talked about you doing the summoning the day before we left? In other words.... today?"  
  
"Yes." said Merlina.  
  
"Then what in the world are you doing?" he asked. It took him a lot of energy to not grab her and shake the reason out of her.  
  
"I'm enjoying myself before tonight comes." she said coolly. "Does that surprise you?"  
  
"Frankly, yes." said Xellos. He looked at her. Her short black hair covered his view of his face, though.  
  
"OK, here's my reason." she said. "I have my plan all set. I spent all of yesterday and this morning getting it set up." Xellos looked surprised at that. A picture of her eating an ice-cream while window shopping entered his head.  
  
"No, really?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes, really." she said. She turned to look at him. "And you know what? I'm ready to cast the summoning tonight. All my materials are with me, ready to be used. I'm going to face my dad tonight, OK? He's not just any mazoku, you know? And you know how strong they are? No, I don't think so. They are awfully strong. The dragons we faced last time, are no match. They were underlings.... mine is not. How do I know? Mom told me. And you know something else? I don't know how he looks. I don't know how he acts. And I don't know whether he'll kill me when he sees me or not. Now, can I be happy for the few hours left to me before meeting him?" Her face had turned hard and serious by the time she had finished her speech. She stood up and grabbed her bag that rested at her feet.  
  
"I'm going to the inn." she said. Her face had changed once more and looked happy and innocent. "After all, I need my beauty sleep. I can't face him down looking the way I do!" She turned around and walked back.  
  
Xellos looked at the park before him. He honestly hadn't realized that Merlina had been putting her plan into action. Well,... that is what he deserved for underestimating Merlina. He imagined how it would be if he had to meet his own father. His died long time ago, when he was one or two. He'd be nervous. But Merlina had even more to worry about. For example, the fact that he was a Mazoku. The fact that he was powerful. He wondered why she wanted to meet her father anyway. Well.... that was a dumb question. He'd want to meet his dad also. At least, to see how he was. She probably was worried to death and hid it by playing around and goofing about. And now, she'd be all worried again, because he ha underestimated Merlina. He sighed. He should go and apologize to her.  
  
He made his way back to the inn and went into their room. He looked around the room noting a few things. Basically, Merlina wasn't in. And her bag wasn't either. Her clothes were still there, though... He knocked on the bathroom door.  
  
"Merlina, you in there?" he asked. There was no answer. Hesitantly, he twisted the door knob and peeked in. Nope, nobody was in there. Which was good. Had Merlina been in there.... he'd have had a Fireball shoved up his nose. "So, wonder where she is?" he asked himself aloud.  
  
He spent the rest of the afternoon looking for her. She couldn't have left the town. He had their little pass and the Dragons wouldn't have let her go out. Besides, most of her belongings were still here. He had noticed that both her original staff and sword were gone. Which meant she had probably taken them with her. She had all the materials ready for her summoning since her bag was with her last time he saw her at the park. Little by little, panic began to grow in him. It was nearing dusk, and he couldn't find her. He had gone by the Dragon's Temple a few times but he wasn't allowed in. He tried the library, but she wasn't there either. After trying a few restaurants and asking a few people, he was really beginning to get worried. He never had known how unobservant some people were. Had he asked for a redhead, they probably would have been able to help him, but no one remembered seeing a girl with shoulder length black hair. The sun set and the stores began to close for the night. The minutes ticked by, and soon the only lights were those of the lamp posts. And he suddenly knew. It was time for Merlina to act.  
  
He ran to the Dragon's Temple. The doors were still closed but there were still guards walking about. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion. He looked up in surprise just in time to see a raging fire in one of the restaurants. The Dragons looked up in surprise. A few dragons went off in that direction to figure what had happened and to help put out the fire. Just as that group went off, another bomb blew up over in the opposite direction that the first group of dragons had flown off too. Xellos hid behind a bench to watch the proceedings of the Dragons. One of the Dragons gave out sharp orders.  
  
"Get the rest of the squad here!" he shouted. Another man nodded and ran off to call the other dragons. He then gave more orders and another group of dragons went off to see after the explosion. Xellos looked up and saw a man flying to where the group was. The man and the leader talked hurriedly and then more dragons went off to follow. But there was no respite for the leader. Another loud explosion forced him to send another group of dragons to investigate. And as group number 3 went out, a representative from group 2 came asking for more help. As more help joined him, another explosion filled the night with reds and oranges. Xellos had no doubt that all the explosions were Merlina's work. But how she managed to get so many different parts of the city to blow up like this was beyond him. Soon, all the dragons had left, leaving the leader guarding the area. But the explosions weren't over yet. Three more shook the city, and they were all in different sectors of the city. The dragon cursed and he transformed into a dragon and flew off into the night to calm the raging fires. As he left, another two exploded somewhere else. Xellos looked up around him. In this section, there were no fires or explosions, but around the block he could see a dash of orange and red. And if he flew up high enough, he would be able to see all the fires that dotted the area. Some people were awake and had run out of their homes to see what was happening. He saw a dragon coming by, trying to calm the hysterical people. He saw a group of two dragons flying east to try to control the fire that had been set in that area. He had to admit, Merlina had done a wonderful job setting in confusion and panic into the city. The dragons had to leave their posts as guards to help the city. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and turned around. He came face to face with Merlina.  
  
"Merlina!" he cried. She shushed him. She had washed the dye out of her hair and had ditched her glasses.  
  
"You shouldn't be here, hiding." she said with a smirk. "There's a bomb right beside you. I was about to set this one off but saw part of your cape. Good thing I did, or else you'd be toast."  
  
"Huh? Where?" he asked. She calmly reached across him and grabbed a small rock.  
  
"This," she said. "...is a small detonator. It explodes when I order it to." She grinned.  
  
"You mean..." started Xellos. All of a sudden, all her walks all over town made sense to him. She had been planting bombs all over the place. Then his eyes widened. "You could have killed someone!" Merlina shrugged.  
  
"Nope." she said. "I planted them in areas where there were no people. Now, if someone dies fighting the fire... well, that's their fault." Xellos was aghast at her cold, calculating manner. "Anyway... I'm going in. See ya around." She turned and walked towards the temple. Right before she got to the door, she turned around and tossed the rock to Xellos. "If they see you... or if you need to escape, toss the stone. Impact can trigger the spell also. Or a magic command will do. I transferred the spell so that it responds to you." Xellos nearly dropped it and Merlina laughed. She threw a Fireball at the door and went in. There was no one else there to see her entrance into the temple. Xellos watched her and then realized he forgot to apologize. He began to run after her.  
  
*****  
  
Once inside, Merlina let her feet take over to lead her to the door. There were no dragons inside. They were all outside fighting her magical fires and other pieces of destruction. She looked at her staff. She bit her lip in frustration as she saw a small, almost unseen swirl of red in the otherwise clear stone. She pushed that thought out of her mind. She had more important things to do. Soon, she was in front of the door. It was still barricaded. Merlina didn't mind. She paused and then closed her eyes to concentrate. She mouthed words silently, her lips moving as her hands performed their motions. She took another step back. The size of the energy was still the same size, but it began to glow even brighter than before. Little globes of orange and yellow light gathered around it, twinkling mysteriously. She looked at the solid door before her. It would take something very big to break it. A simple fireball wouldn't do.  
  
"DRAGON SLAVE!" she shouted and unleashed the energy. Then she cast a shield on herself to stop any debris from coming her way. She smiled. She had a few minutes before the dragons were able to come and bother her. She stepped into the room and smiled.  
  
It was a simple room. There were no ornaments or pictures on the walls. There was no rug, and no chairs or furniture. It was plain, stark and bear. The dragons wouldn't pay homage to a Mazoku anyway. She took out her flask, drew her stars and circles and began to chant softly. Her eyes closed in concentration as her hands floated before her, casting the simple parts of the otherwise complex spell.  
  
"Light that guided my path, begone and leave." she started. A small wind began to flow about her.  
  
Xellos ran through the passage ways trying to remember where the door had been. But once more, he was lost. Not for long though. A huge explosion racked the temple. He cast a shield on himself to protect himself. When everything had settled down, Xellos ran in the direction of the blast, his black hair flying in the wind. He put the bomb in his pocket and ran faster. She'd begin the incantation now.  
  
"Darkness, rise and gleam. See the blood that has been spilled for thee." continued Merlina. She sprinkled the black dust around her, letting the wind carry them into a type of an inverted hurricane about her. Her short red hair whipped about in the wind and her cloak thrashed violently as if not being able to decide where it should be.  
  
Xellos burst into the room and saw Merlina chanting. He caught his breath. He'd apologize after the incantation. That way, he wouldn't interrupt her spell.  
  
"Bow to my command. Rip asunder the fabric of worlds and allow me my wish." She held her staff before her firmly, as if drawing strength and power from it.  
  
"I summon thee, Merlin! The price has been paid and the blood has been spilt. Come before me, now!" The last part was shouted out. As she finished, another explosion racked the room. She opened her eyes and stared straight ahead at the place where Merlin was supposed to appear. Slowly, a black shadow formed there. It grew to amazing proportions before it shrunk down to the size of a human being. It was taller than Merlina, by about a head and a half. A pair of violent, ruby red eyes gleamed from within the shadow. It began to fill out slowly.  
  
Xellos looked on in amazement and with fear and trepidation in his eyes. She had succeeded in summoning a Mazoku. He suddenly looked up. The roof of the room had been blown away in the explosion and allowed him a clear view of the midnight sky. He floated up and saw that the fires had been put out and that the Dragons were coming. His eyes widened and his pulse quickened drastically. He grabbed the bomb in his hand and then threw it with all his might at another area. It hit the ground and exploded. Some of the dragons veered of in that direction to fight the fire, but that was only some of them.  
  
'Shoot.... she needs more time..." thought Xellos. The shadow was filling out, starting with its feet. Black boots appeared, shining dully in the light of the stars and moon. He had no idea what to do...  
  
"Get... out of... here." whispered Merlina while keeping most of her concentration on the Mazoku before her.  
  
"I can't leave you here!" he said.  
  
"I'll be fine..." she whispered again, a bit more weakly than before.  
  
"Merlina..." he started. The figure all of a sudden burst into black light, and when that was gone a human figure stood there. Merlina collapsed on the floor, her energy spent.  
  
"You finally made it here..." she said softly, her breath coming to her in a ragged fashion."  
  
"Just testing your strength." said the Mazoku. He had black hair and wore a black robe over black clothes. His black bangs covered his eyes.  
  
"You're..." started Xellos, looking shocked, but he was interrupted by a few dragons teleporting into the room.  
  
"Halt!" cried one of them. Another one grabbed Xellos and stopped him from casting any spells. Another one ran towards Merlina to knock her out, but a blast from the finger tip of the Mazoku finished him off. Some of the Dragons powered up and tried to attack him and Merlina, but the Mazoku grinned and snapped his fingers. An iridescent shield formed around them, protecting them from the blasts. With another blast, he killed the dragon that was holding Xellos.  
  
"Now, if you'll be polite and let us finish." said the Mazoku with a grin. The dragons stood rooted to their places as he cast a freezing spell over them. "Yes? What do you want?"  
  
Merlina had gotten up rather shakily. She used her staff for support.  
  
"You're Merlin?" she asked, her red eyes gleaming.  
  
"Yes. That's who you summoned. Now, what do you want before this gets boring?" he asked.  
  
"Nihl...?" asked Xellos softly as he got up and walked over.  
  
"Nihl?" asked Merlina, looking perplexed.  
  
"Yes." said the man. He smiled and waved at Xellos. "How do you do, Xellos? You saved that girl of yours?"  
  
"I'm... I'm Merlina Quertwen." said Merlina. "And you will answer my questions, Merlin!"  
  
"Merlina?" asked the mazoku as he looked her over. He stepped out of the circle he had been summoned into and walked over to her. He looked into her clear red eyes. He fingered her hair. Merlina shook her head and glared at him. "It is you. It's about time." He would have said more but looked at all the dragons before him. He touched her forehead and cast a sleep spell over her. He picked her up. Xellos looked at him, amazed and surprised.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Taking her back, what else?" asked Merlin. "Thanks for all you've done."  
  
"Hey! You can't just take her away!" cried Xellos. He ran to where Merlin was.  
  
"Of course I can." said Merlin. "See you around, kid. And if I were you, I'd ditch this city before they wake up." And with a puff of smoke, he and Merlina were gone. Xellos stood there, surprised. Now, he definitely didn't know what to think. He looked at the faces of the Dragons and then decided that Merlin was right. He flew out, grabbed their things at the inn and then flew away. The next day, the dragons spread the word. A girl of about 18 and her twin brother had summoned up a Mazoku. Wanted, dead or alive.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter  
  
Here's the next chapter! Aren't you all glad!?!? Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks to all the kind and compassionate and wonderful souls who were so nice to review! What do you think of this so far? Hope you enjoyed it!  
  
Have a happy new year! (sorry it's late...jeje)  
  
  
Hotaru 


	10. Chapter 10

Once Upon a Time  
by Hotaru Kimiko Lai  
  
Disclaimer: The Slayers characters aren't mine. If you sue, I won't be able to write, right? And you don't want that, right? Right????? *grin*  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Intense lights... brightness everywhere. And she felt her mind being pulled apart in various directions at the same time. Then it the light disappeared, leaving behind a darkness that was just as intense. Someone grabbed her staff, but she hung on tightly to it. She wouldn't loose this. It felt as if someone else was tugging on her sword. She fought back and screamed, letting her magic fill her sword. The smell of burnt substances assaulted her nostrils and she fainted, holding tightly to her weapons.  
  
Merlina awoke in an unknown room. The bed felt... different, as did the air. The whole atmosphere reeked... of secrets. She sat straight up, looking about her, her short red hair flying to and fro. She noticed that her hands were tightly grasping her staff and sword, as if someone had tried to take them and her normal instincts kicked in to defend her belongings. She looked about. It was a luxurious room with forest green walls. The furniture was made of dark brown-reddish wood with the curly grain showing. The bookshelf and the closet to the right were made of that wood, giving it a look of utter sophistication. There was a window with the curtains drawn. Across the room was a closed door, and to her left was a half way open one. There was a desk with an oil lamp. She got up and took stock of what she knew and what she didn't. She was still wearing her merchant clothes, which was a deep relieve. She brushed back her hair absentmindedly. Her head felt lighter and fresher than it had in a long while...  
  
She thought back to what she remembered. She had left home, spent the year traveling and finally cast the summon spell. So, she was probably in the hands of the Mazoku... right?  
  
The bed was soft and comfy, and green. She checked the open door. It led to a bathroom that was beautifully done in green and white marble. The floor had a soft green rug. There were no pictures on the walls, but there were candle stands everywhere. She went to the curtain and drew it apart to see what there was. To her amazement, there was a lush, green tropical jungle outside. It was dark and the stars could be seen twinkling in the black, velvety darkness of the sky. She heard a series of footsteps and she ran and hid under the bed, making sure that the sheets covered her. She absentmindedly buckled her sword on and gripped her staff tightly. The door opened and a figure stepped in. All she could see were the black gleaming boots. The door closed behind the person and there was the sound of a tray being set down.  
  
"Merlina, you awake yet?" asked the voice. It belonged to a man. She recognized the voice. It belonged to Merlin, her dad. He walked to the bed and threw off the covers and sat down. "Wonder where she is?" She knew that he was just playing with her. A Mazoku of his caliber wouldn't be shocked on seeing that she wasn't sleeping soundly. "Perhaps, she's playing hide and seek with me... After all, we haven't seen each other in so long. Maybe she wants to surprise me." He walked about the room. "Pay attention, Lina chan. Do you mind if I call you Lina? It's much shorter and with our names so similar, the poor underlings out there might get confused. Anyway, welcome to my humble abode. Sorry I missed all your birthdays. But I hope you liked the dress I sent you for the last one. I personally picked it for you. Anyway, I'm sure you have checked your surroundings already. The bathroom is to your left. It's very nice and there is hot water in there also at all times. It's magic, don't worry. There's a desk for you to write and study if you wish. The bookshelf to the left, as well as the closet are for your use. I imagine you want to change after sleeping in your clothes. The books are mine, but you can use them. This is your room. Feel free to redecorate, but please try to stay away from white, pinks and yellows." The footsteps stopped at the bed and he kneeled down. He drew apart the sheets and looked at Merlina straight in the eyes.  
  
She felt mesmerized. His bangs were brushed to the side, revealing eyes just as bloody and red as hers. His skin was pale and his hair was shockingly dark black. He held his hand out and drew her from under the bed and she left her staff behind her. He hugged her lightly.  
  
"Welcome home, daughter." he said. Merlina awkwardly hugged him back. He was her father after all. She looked up at him.  
  
"You really are... dad?" she asked. Somewhere inside her, a voice shouted at her to be careful and to be on guard. He was, after all, a Mazoku. But the other part of her, the part that had refused to grow up despite all the responsibilities thrust on her, cried with joy.  
  
"Yes, I am." said the Mazoku. He held her at arm's length and took her looks in. He saw her violent red hair, her violent red eyes and her petite frame. "What are you,... 17 or 18?"  
  
"18 in a month." she said. She looked at him. He was taller than her by about a head and a half and he wore the clothes of a merchant.  
  
"Well, I won't miss this one." he said. He made her sit down on a chair and brought a tray over. On it was food and drink for her. Merlina eagerly began to eat, watching him.  
  
"So, what do you think of this place?" he asked. Merlina gulped her glass of juice and then daintily wiped her lips on a cloth napkin provided. She had just finished eating.  
  
"It's nice. Really dark, though." she said. Then she looked at him. "What am I doing here?"  
  
"Well, like I said, this is your new home." said Merlin. "My room is right across the hall. You can't miss it."  
  
"Why?" she asked. "I mean.... why am I staying here?"  
  
"That's easy." he said. "You're a Mazoku. Well, half, but as my daughter and a Mazoku, you belong here."  
  
"Then why did I live among humans?" she asked.  
  
"Since you're half-half," said Merlin. "... you were raised among humans. Your mother wouldn't here or me taking you here immediately. So we made a little agreement. She kept you till you were old enough to look for me. If you looked for me and found me, you'd stay here as my daughter. You won't have to worry for money, food or lodgings anymore. Not only that, you can also get formal training as a Mazoku."  
  
"What?" cried Merlina. "I don't want to be one!"  
  
"But you are." said Merlin, steel in his eyes and ice in his voice. "Now, don't get uptight. You are only half, after all. I'll speak to Zelas. Everything will work out."  
  
"Zelas?" asked Merlina. Then her eyes widened. "You mean... as in... Beastmaster?"  
  
"Yeah." said Merlin. "She's quite famous, isn't she? She's also a nice lady. You know, she wants to meet you."  
  
"She won't try to kill me, will she?" asked Merlina, suspiciously. He laughed. With a start, Merlina realized that she enjoyed the sound of his voice.  
  
"Of course not." he said. "Not that she couldn't, but she's a curious lady. She'll want to see you. Actually, she wants to meet you now."  
  
"Huh?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, so get changed. Look nice for the boss." he said with a smile. "Don't worry. We Mazoku aren't as horrible as myths and fairytales make us to be. Not all of us."  
  
"Ok, if you say so." said Merlina. "If you say so." She got up and looked through the closet. It had many dresses and tunics. She skipped over the dresses and grabbed a tunic. She ran to the changing room and dressed up. She was out in five minutes.  
  
She wore a soft dark red, long sleeved shirt and dark red pants with a crimson colored sash with the ends hanging almost to the floor. On top of that she wore a black vest with a hood, although she hadn't put that on.  
  
"You look very nice." he said, not commenting on the fact that she still held the Sword at her side. She crawled under the bed and took out her staff.  
  
"I'm ready." she said.  
  
"Don't worry." he said. "She won't kill you."  
  
"We'll see." she said. They went out to the hallway. "So, who lives here? And where are we? I can't imagine Mazoku living in a... home."  
  
"This place is Wolf Pack Island, a small island to the south that is not found on normal, mundane maps." said Merlin. They passed a few lesser demons that traveled in the shadows. Merlina was glad. She'd probably have been scared to death if she had seen them face to face. "Zelas owns this place, and she commands the people here. We're all Mazoku, but we aren't all the same."  
  
"What rank are you?" asked Merlina. "I mean, I wouldn't imagine Beastmaster being nice to a human, even though I'm half human."  
  
"I'm her general." he said, looking smug. "I'm about the highest there is here. She has a priest also. Us two, the general and the priest, are the highest next to Zelas."  
  
"Really?" asked Merlina. She looked at him with amazement in her eyes. "And she's not going to kill me, and the priest isn't going to kill me and you won't either?"  
  
"Of course not!" said Merlin. "You're a half mazoku, and you're stronger than some full fledged Mazoku also. By the way, remember to bow in her presence. Can't have her think that your impolite, after all."  
  
They finally arrived at a huge door. A lesser Mazoku stood guard. On seeing Merlin, he bowed and opened the door for the two to enter. Inside, Merlina saw a lady with sun-kissed blond hair and amber eyes. She wore a white gown whose sole purpose was to stun.  
  
The two bowed down. Merlina noted how low her father bowed and did likewise.  
  
"Lady Zelas." he said.  
  
"Rise, both of you." said the golden voice, slow and syrupy feeling. They did. "How are you, Merlin?"  
  
"I'm fine, mistress." he said. He didn't look at her, Merlina noticed. Well, she wouldn't either then. Instead, she explored the surroundings. It was mostly a long hallway. They had been walking on a long red carpet with gold trim. There were also several ornate candle sticks bearing their waxy candles. The whole room looked, extremely spooky. And behind the chair where Zelas sat, was a half hidden door that she could barely make out in the candle light. A shoulder in her ribs promptly brought her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Say hi!" whispered Merlin to her. Merlina quickly straightened up and bowed once more.  
  
"Greetings, Beastmaster Zelas." she said smoothly, as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Greetings." she answered back. "What is your name, child?"  
  
"My name is Merlina Quertwen, ma'am." she said.  
  
"How do you like this place, Merlina?" asked Zelas.  
  
"It is a lovely place with a wonderful view, although a bit dark for my tastes." she said, without thinking. Then she gasped. She probably shouldn't have said that. After all, didn't Mazoku like things to be ugly and horrible and dank... and she shouldn't have been that impolite....  
  
"I'm glad you like it, Merlina." said Zelas. She looked at the petite redhead with interest. "Thank you for your honest opinion." Merlin felt a held up breath leave him. He hadn't noticed that he had held his breath. But he was glad that Zelas had taken a strange liking to his daughter. Which meant she wouldn't be killed. Good.  
  
"Merlin?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, mistress?" he asked.  
  
"Leave us for a bit." she said, looking at Merlina. Merlina looked at the floor, wondering what was in store for her.  
  
"Yes, mistress." he said. Merlina would be fine. He hoped. He phased out of the room in a blur of grays and greens.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos looked about him. This was the city of Hyrille, a fisherman's city with docks and harbors. He had spent the past four months traveling and gathering the necessary ingredients to perform the summoning. It hadn't been easy. Having your face plastered on every city stating that there was a reward if you were found made it hard to conduct trade. But he had finally made it. Besides, it had been some time since anyone had tried a summoning and it was widely assumed that they had been killed by the Mazoku they summoned. He looked at his ingredient list. He had let his hair grow out so that it was purple with black tips. It gave him a rough appearance and people usually left him alone. He had changed his clothes, his hair cut style, and many things. For one, his long bangs now covered his eyes and he held a continual smirk on his face. Many people stayed away from him. After all, he looked scruffy and dangerous.  
  
It had taken four months to get the ingredients he needed. Sure, he used some of the ingredients that Merlina had, but she had run low on some of them. For example, bat's wing powder. He had spent some time in libraries learning about summoning and about black magic. He had practiced daily to build his stamina up for the day when he would confront the Mazoku who had taken Merlina away. Speaking of which,.... where was she? How was she? Was she still alive in the first place?  
  
He made a left turn and entered the library. Hirylle had the most complete library when it came to herbs, and other plant species. There, he took out a piece of parchment where he had carefully copied his notes. It had the hierarchy of the Mazoku, various strong spell attacks, lists of magic that were powerful against black and a list of the ingredients he needed. He put a check beside the bat's wing powder. He just needed a rare herb to mix with the powder now. He was planning on looking up the whereabouts of the plant in the library.  
  
After 15 minutes of reading, he had all the information he needed. Only one more ingredient... then to find a summoning spot. It would be hard for him. Merlina had been a half-mazoku and still had some trouble. And the dragons would be on the look out for him now. It would be hard, but he promised himself four months ago that he'd find a way to get her back.  
  
*****  
  
Five months had passed. She had adapted quite well to her surroundings. Under her father's careful tutoring, she had increased her powers of black magic. Her hair had grown past her shoulders, but nowhere near as long as it used to be. Merlin had offered to make it long again, but she had refused. She couldn't explain why, but she wanted it to grow naturally. She had increased her powers so much that she wasn't scared of the other Mazoku anymore. For one, she was known as Merlin's 'brat'. And though not many cared for Merlin, they knew that if she was harmed, Merlin would get them back. Number two, she was also known as Zelas's favorite. She spent the afternoons with her, talking about various topics, like interior decoration, styles, tastes and magic. And number three, she herself could hold her own against another Mazoku. After all, she always carried around with her the Sword of Light and her staff. Zelas had recognized both weapons but Merlina hadn't wanted to give them up. Zelas had allowed her to keep them, and a few errant Mazoku had learned too late that she was pretty good at swordsmanship and at fighting with a staff and at fighting with just her magic and at fighting with her fists.  
  
She had met Zelas's general, Mesphisel, three times during her stay. He was a sullen man, who didn't speak much. Merlina didn't cross him and he ignored her. They got along just fine.  
  
She walked to her room. She had just come out of her daily afternoon with Zelas and she wanted to check some things in her father's books. She found her father in her room.  
  
"Hey, dad!" she said happily. She didn't get to see him too often since he was sent out on missions almost everyday. Sometimes, he would be gone for a whole week.  
  
"Hey Lina!" he said. He was a weird Mazoku, Merlina had decided. He was the most open when considering happier feelings, but he had explained to her before that he was a Mazoku, which limited his feelings. He could feel happiness and pride. Those were the positive emotions he was limited to, and he felt both of them strongly whenever he saw her. Most others didn't since Zelas had created Merlin in a different manner. She had created Mesphisel at the same time, but he had turned his back on such emotions while Merlin had tested them out. That was the main difference between them. Basically, Mesphisel was like her uncle, had they been human.  
  
"How'd the job go?" asked Merlina as she sat across from him.  
  
"Fine." he said. "I got here some minutes ago, but Zelas was busy with you. What do you two talk about?"  
  
"Oh, dad." she said. "You know I'm not allowed to tell you." She grinned impishly at him.  
  
"Oh well, one has to try." he said. He got up. "Here, I got you a new book." He reached into his cloak and took out a thin volume. "Have fun. I'm going to meet with Zelas. Behave." He phased out of the room. Merlina smiled, brushed her hair back and settled herself to read the book.  
  
After a few minutes, she got bored and put it into the bookshelf. There were considerably more books than before since Merlin's collection was always increasing. She yawned and walked around. She was bored. Well, most people would have gotten bored four months ago.... She wasn't allowed outside and had to be holed up the whole time. The only things she looked forward to were her chats with Zelas, and her visits with her dad. She wanted to go out. Once more, she drew aside the curtain and looked out. Why wasn't she allowed out? She could defend herself. And besides, she was a half mazoku. She might not be as strong as some of the others but she could run errands. She would talk to Zelas about it next time... one could get very bored staring at the jungle out there for a long time.  
  
*****  
  
The next day...  
  
"You called?" asked Merlin as he phased into the room. Merlina had left the room five minutes ago and Zelas had called him as well as Mesphisel.  
  
"Yes, sit down, both of you." she said. She held a goblet of fine crystal filled with wine in her pale hand. Two of her lesser demon servants brought chairs for them to sit on. "Anyway, I have called you two here to ask a very important question." There was silence. "What do you think about allowing Lina chan to run a few errands here and there on the continent?"  
  
"Lina?" asked Merlin.  
"Who's she?" asked Mesphisel. He also had dark black hair but his eyes were blue instead of red.  
  
"She's your niece." said Merlin with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"You mean that brat?" asked Mesphisel. "Red hair? Carries around Merlin's staff?"  
  
"Yes, my daughter." said Merlin.  
  
"I would prefer it if you wouldn't use such humane terminology. Spawn will do just fine." said Mesphisel as he glared at his brother. Merlin glared back.  
  
"We are straying from the point at hand." said Zelas as she looked at them, half amused. They acted like brothers at time, always complaining at each other. Not that she'd tell them. Mesphisel would have objected strongly and Merlina would have used that to bother his 'brother' even more.  
  
"How come, mistress?" asked Merlin.  
  
"She raised that issue today while we were talking." said Zelas.  
  
"Well, I think she'd do a fine job, Zelas." said Merlin. "She is a strong and able fighter. Since she has some human in her, she can pass herself off convincingly. She has also had past experiences with them."  
  
"I think she'll be an asset," said Mesphisel. "You can give her something like information gathering. Something small so that if she messes up, we won't be affected."  
  
"She won't mess up." said Merlin.  
  
"You have too much faith in one that is untested." pointed out Mesphisel.  
  
"OK, boys... calm down." said Zelas. "I was thinking along those lines. She can go to town and run a few errands and gather information. I'm sure she'll enjoy that. Nothing heavy. She won't have any need to kill people."  
  
"That's good." said Mesphisel. "Who knows if she might scream at the sight of blood and faint."  
  
"Lina chan is anything but the squeamish type who will scream at the sight of blood." said Merlin. "Mistress, she will serve you well, you can count on that."  
  
"I'm glad to hear your vote of confidence." said Zelas. "And I am glad for yours also, Mesphisel. You two may go now. Merlin, call Lina for me."  
  
"Yes, mistress." they said at the same time, and left.  
  
*****  
  
The next day, Merlina finally took a breath of fresh air and felt the grass be squished under her black boots. She was dressed in her old merchants clothes and had a haversack with her. As usual, she carried both sword and staff with her. She had her red hair gathered into a braid at the base of her neck. It was a short braid, but a braid nonetheless.  
  
"Ready?" asked Merlin as he walked out. He was dressed as a merchant again. He'd drop her off at the town and then pick her up at sunset.  
  
"Yeah! I can't wait." said Merlina. He held her hand and then teleported them to the city. They appeared on the docks when nobody was looking.  
  
"OK, take care." he said. He then flew off to go to his destination.  
  
Merlina walked about the town, glad to see different people and not just shadows and Mazoku. Zelas's place was nice, but she missed the city. She took out the shopping list Zelas had given her. She had told her to keep an eye out for information of the Dragons and to tell her what was going on. Oh, and to get another bottle of Zephyrian wine. Merlina bit her lip on seeing the word Zephyria. It was a long time since she had gone by. She wondered how they were.  
  
She walked from the docks to the city and went about shopping.  
  
First, she went to a cafe and had herself a glass of juice and a pastry. Then she went to a store and bought a few things. She got some parchment and quills since she wanted to do some writing. Then she turned to a restaurant where she had some lunch. It was a buffet and it was a long time since she had eaten so much. She went out feeling very full and content. Out of curiosity, she went to the Guild of Mercenaries and asked to look at the list of international members. She remembered that she used to be in that guild. She had been the best in Tryyad. She wondered if she was still in it. She noticed a mysterious absence concerning her name. Oh well,... she didn't blame them. It had been over half a year since she had entered a Guild. Oh well... their loss. She then went to a tavern to the market place to listen to the gossip as she looked at their wares. Voices surrounded her as people talked to each other happily. Some not as happy as others and some were more serious than others.  
  
"... look at these vegetables! Fresh from the farm!..."  
  
"And you know... I always said that he was not good for her..."  
  
"Myrtle, come back here right now! Young lady, are you..."  
  
"Did you hear? My friend told me that her friend told her that her friend told her that her cousin saw..."  
  
"Fresh fish! 10 coppers per fish!"  
  
"2 silvers? Are you crazy? That isn't worth that! I'll give you one!"  
  
"Miss, it's worth more than one! One and a half, and that's my best offer to you."  
  
"Mommy, look! Can I have some candy?"  
  
Merlina sighed. There was no news of Dragons here. If there were, then she was sure that the ladies here would be talking about it. But there was no mention of Dragons. She'd tell that to Zelas. Perhaps if she sent her to another city, then she might find more.  
  
She went out of the market area and bought a newspaper. She searched for names of towns and Dragons. There was a small reference to Dragon patrols further up north, around the city of Kimbala. She'd check that out. She entered the liquor store and asked for a bottle of Zephyrian wine. It was a small store with many bottles of wine everywhere. You had to be careful lest you trip and fall over a few bottles. Some bottles here looked downright ancient.  
  
"You new in this town, miss?" asked the shopkeeper as he looked for a bottle of wine from Zephyria.  
  
"I'm just stopping by. Landed here this morning." said Merlina. It wasn't technically a lie. She had landed here this morning. Of course, she had arrived with her dad, and it wasn't by ship...  
  
"Not many younguns come here for wine you know." he said. He finally found the section and checked the dates. "I have three. You want the oldest one?"  
  
"Yes please." said Merlina. He took it out carefully and wiped it with a damp cloth.  
  
"Here you go." he said. "245 silvers please."  
  
"Thank you." said Merlina as she passed the money. She put the bottle in her bag. "By the way, I was reading the newspaper here. This place seems like a pretty calm town."  
  
"Oh yes," said the shopkeeper. He counted it and continued to talk while he counted out her change. "Hyrille is a very calm port city. We have no need for Dragon guards here. We're quite proud of that. Not many cities can run with out dragons, you know."  
  
  
"I can imagine." said Merlina sounding interested. "So, do any ever come here?"  
  
"Not usually." he said. He passed her the change. "A squad came here two days ago, but left yesterday. If you noticed, there was a mentioning of some of them dragons here. They were looking for action. Couldn't find it here. Went to Kimbala, I think. Now, that town is the exact opposite of this one!" The shopkeeper found it quite funny. "They're a regular bunch of hooligans, that's for sure!"  
  
"Well, thank you for all your help, sir." she said as she bowed slightly.  
  
"You're welcome, missy." he said. "I don't always get such polite customers. It was nice meeting you."   
  
As she went out a liquor shop, someone called out her name. Surprised, she turned around. How did someone here know her name? She knew she had never traveled here. She looked around her. She didn't see anyone she recognized. No Mazoku, and no father. It was probably her imagination. Too much sun after months of no exposure to direct sunlight.  
  
She walked a bit more when she heard it again. This time, she looked around and saw someone who was running towards her. Something stirred within her memory upon seeing the person.  
  
"Merlina!" he said as he caught up to her. "Is it really you?" He hugged her. She pushed away.  
  
"Hi, pleased to meet you." she said warily. She eyed his amethyst eyes and black/purple hair.  
  
"Where have you been? How are you? How did you escape the Mazoku?" he asked. He was slightly taller than her.  
  
"Sorry, do I know you?" she asked. Something about him made her uncomfortable. Was he a spy from the dragons, perhaps? That would explain how he knew her name. She remembered that she wasn't on the Dragon's Favorite People list.  
  
"Merlina?" he asked. "It is you. Don't you remember me?"  
  
"Sorry, sir. You must have mistaken me for someone else." she said as she stepped away from him.  
  
"I'm Xellos Kyuzan." he said. "You're Merlina Quertwen, right?"  
  
"Yes....I'm sorry..." she said. "The name Kyuzan sounds familiar, but I don't recognize the name Xellos. Excuse me, I really must go." She walked away but he followed her.  
  
"Are you sure? Merlina..." he started.  
  
"Look, I don't recognize you, and if you keep on following me, I will have you arrested for harassing me." she said seriously to him.  
  
"Merlina..." he said softly, not believing what he was hearing.  
  
"Yes, my name is Merlina." she said grumpily. Then her face softened on seeing his sad face. "Hey, buck up. I'm sure you'll find this Merlina you're looking for. I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you. Did she get lost in the city or something?"  
  
"No..." said Xellos, his eyes saddened. "She vanished five months ago."  
  
"Five?" asked Merlina, her interest piqued. "Really? How come?"  
  
"She... well, it's sort of personal, you know." he said.  
  
"Hey, where could I find you?" she asked. "I'll keep an eye out for her, OK?" She rummaged through her purse and got some money. She ran to a vendor and bought a small crystal ball. She imbued it with magic. "I won't be here for long. But if I ever find her, I'll call you, OK?" She passed him the crystal ball. Xellos looked at her, not knowing what to do. Finally, he smiled.  
  
"Thank you." he said. "And if you ever find her, tell her... that I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry? OK, I can do that." said Merlina. She patted his shoulder awkwardly. "Well met, Xellos Kyuzan. Sorry I threatened to call the guards on you earlier, but well... it's a bit unnerving when someone keeps calling you and you're not that person."  
  
"It's OK," said Xellos as he looked at her. He had been so sure it was Merlina. He had seen her from across the street and had been to surprised to do anything except to call her. But then she hadn't seen him and had gone on. So he had chased her. She looked just how Merlina would have looked. She had the same ruby red eyes and the same wild, untamable, fire-red hair. She even wore the same clothes. He looked at her side and saw her sword, half hidden. He wouldn't call attention to it. What happens if it was a different sword. And he couldn't just ask her about her staff... "Sorry if I sounded a bit crazed back there. I've spent the last five months looking for her, you see. I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you."  
  
"It's OK." said Merlina with a smile. "I'll see you around. Hey, where will you be in the next few days?"  
  
"Me?" asked Xellos. "I'll be in Seerin."  
  
'Seerin?' wondered Merlina. 'Why does that name sound familiar?'  
  
"OK." said Merlina. "Perhaps we'll see each other then. Take care! I've got to run!"  
  
"You too, Merlina." he said. She grinned and ran off. It was nearing sunset and she had to be by the docks soon.  
  
Xellos went on his way. He had to go find the last herb, and then to Seerin to try to summon Merlin and ask were Merlina was. He'd figure it out. It had been nice seeing that girl. It was said that somewhere in the world, there was a person who looked just like you. He never counted on that person having the same name. It must have been a signal, giving him hope and joy. It was as if the gods were telling him that he would find her. He cheerfully walked to the outside of the city. He had things to do, plants to find, and a Mazoku to summon.  
  
*****  
  
That night, Merlina looked out her window again. Zelas had praised her for finding that bit of news. She had known that the Dragons would be in Kimbala, and wanted to test Merlina to see if she could figure it out. Merlina smiled also when Zelas saw her bottle of wine.  
  
Now, she was back in her room, trying to figure out the puzzle that had been dumped on her lap. Who was Xellos Kyuzan? And why was he searching for a girl that looked just like her and had the exact same name as her? The coincidences were too many for this to be a freak happening... She vanished 5 months ago. She had arrived here 5 months ago. He said that they looked exactly the same, which meant that she had red eyes and red hair also. The names! Not many girls were called Merlina, were they? And the name, Kyuzan... it struck a cord, but she didn't know why. And then, there was that town name... Seerin. Why would he go there? And why did she remember that name?  
  
She sighed and leaned against the window, looking out at the stars. It was too much of a coincidence. She probably was the girl Xellos was looking for. She needed more hints and clues, but she was more than 50% sure. But... why didn't she remember him? Surely someone with amethyst eyes and hair wouldn't be easy to forget... She fell asleep worrying about all she had seen today. She would have to do some exploring.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter  
  
  
Author's Notes  
  
Some suspense, some mystery, and some memories trying to resurface. How did you like this chapter? Did it live up to your expectations? I hope it did!  
  
Concerning Merlina's actions toward her father, her immediate trust... there's a hidden reason that binds in with the Xellos problem. But the basic one is.... he's her dad! She hasn't seen him since birth. She had questions to ask him when she went on her quest to find him. Once here, though... everything's set up for her. She can relax and learn magic. She sees her father, and he acts quite nicely. He brings her books to read, takes care of her, sets up the room for her. He dotes on his daughter without choking her. The perfect dad, right? *grin*  
  
Xellos... poor him... it's been five months and he's trying to find her. He's stubborn and won't give up. He wants to apologize for not understanding her that fateful day she cast the summoning. (check the last chapter if you forgot). But there's some more. (Hey, I was planning this to be a romance, you know. A small one, but a romance entitles at least one kiss...*grin*)  
  
And then... Zelas, Merlin and Mesphisel... the two Mazoku and Beastmaster. Zelas wasn't always the Beastmaster we know now. She can change. She's a fickle lady, I'd think. She tolerates Merlina. Why? She's Merlin's kid. And wouldn't she be curious about a half human and half mazoku? I'd think it was in her interest to inform herself about the girl. Merlin and Mesphisel. The General and the Priest. They are both Mazoku so they put their orders above all else. But they were created at the same time. They were both created by her. So in a sense, they are like brothers. Now, raise your hand, whoever hasn't heard of sibling rivalry? *grin*  
  
OK, those are the notes for this chapter. Comments and Criticisms are very, very, VERY, welcome. Thank you for reading and for all your support. You guys have been so encouraging! Thank you for all your help. Arigato gozaimasu!  
  
Take care, people! I can't believe that we're in the year 2003! Time passes so fast...  
  
  
Hotaru 


	11. Chapter 11

Once Upon a Time  
A Slayers Fic  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... (don't they look like ants?) *grin* Slayers aint mine... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...  
  
Notes before beginning:  
For that one reviewer who seemed quite earnest in his plea... may I know the reason. If it happens to be a good one, I may concider it. But of course... one has to wonder why read 9 chapters before writing that, right? So, if you could please explain, it would be most helpful.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Merlina kept quiet about her encounter with the boy. She would have to find information and she was sure none of the Mazoku would tell her anything. There was a reason why all this was happening, and she'd get to the bottom of it. Zelas still sent her out on information gathering missions. But as it was, she wasn't sent to Seerin. There wasn't much to see there and Zelas was more interested in the activities of the Dragons.  
  
During her free time, she was learning some more magic. She would need to know more and be even stronger than what she was presently. Well, she was just trying to learn how to teleport. Her dad had asked her why and she had simply said that it was probably quicker than flying, right? Besides, she wanted to know all types of magic. So he helped her. It was harder for Merlina because she was still part human. Her Mazoku side made it easier for her to learn, but by a bit.  
  
"Lina-chan," said Zelas one day. "how's your magic getting along?"  
  
"Dad says I'm doing pretty good for a half mortal." she said with a smile at Zelas.  
  
"You are extremely talented, Lina." said Zelas. "I've honestly never seen anyone with your tenacity. Teleporting is such a hard thing to accomplish. It's hard also since it drains you of magic. But I think you'll be able to accomplish it." She took a sip of her wine.  
  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Merlina as she sat primly on the floor looking at her.  
  
"Well, I'm here to give you a new mission." she said. "I want you to go to Kimbala and see what the Dragons are doing."  
  
"OK." said Merlina. She got up to go. Just as she got up and got ready to leave, Mesphisel came in.  
  
"Mistress, I have news for you." he said. Merlina bowed to both of them and quickly left. Zelas liked to be alone when she listened to her subjects concerning missions and stuff.  
  
"Be ready in five minutes, dear. Mesphisel will take you to town." Zelas called after Merlina. Then she turned to Mesphisel. "Well? What has happened so far?"  
  
"Mistress, you know Merlin has been summoned early this morning." started Mesphisel. Zelas nodded and urged him to go on with a slight movement of her hand. "He has been unlocated until about three hours ago when we felt him use his power. He is now back here."  
  
"Do you know where he was?" asked Zelas.  
  
"He was in Seerin, mistress." said Mesphisel.  
  
"Seerin, huh? And that is where the summoning took place, right?" she asked again.  
  
"Yes, ma'am." he said.  
  
"You may go now." she said as she dismissed him. "Remember to take Merlina to shore."  
  
Long after her Priest left, Zelas sat on her chair, thinking about what was happening.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina ran into her room threw open the closet and grabbed any bag in there. She hurriedly threw her money bag in it and changed into merchant clothes instead of the priestess garb she wore in the house. She buckled on her sword, grabbed her staff, shouldered her bag and opened the door just as Mesphisels knocked.  
  
"I'm ready." she said, slightly out of breath.  
  
"Good." he said. He touched her shoulder and then the two vanished.  
  
*****  
  
"I'll be back at sunset." said Mesphisel as he dropped her off at Kimbala. "Either Merlin or I will be here. Be on time."  
  
"I always am." she said as he vanished. She sighed and began to look for an open coffee shop. She had the whole day to have fun and explore. It was just right after dawn right now.  
  
As she walked, she rumaged in her bag for her money. Then she looked at her bag. This was the bag were she put in all her notes concerning Xellos and Seerin. She hid them here so that nobody would find it. She found a small newspaper stand and bought an edition to read.  
  
First she skimmed the headlines for anything that would be related to Dragons. The town was a nice looking place and it seemed entirely peaceful at these hours of the morning. She turned back to her reading when she saw all of a sudden a small article at the bottom of the page. It spoke about an arrest in Seerin concerning a teenager of about 18 years of age. He had been caught by the Dragons when trying to perform a summoning.  
  
'A summoning, in Seerin?' she wondered to herself. 'Why there?' She thought a bit. Then she hid the article in her bag and went to the rowdier parts of town to gather some information for Zelas. She had to find this first before beginning her own chase. Or else, Zelas would get mad and stop her visits to the mainland.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos grunted as he was thrown into the dungeon. He hit the floor hard and just lay there in a heap. He was too tired and worn out to even move. The dragon guards locked the door and left him in there. They would deal with him later.  
  
After a few minutes, Xellos stirred. He moved a little and then slowly got up. The summoning had taken a lot of energy. He had found the area to perform the rite and then drew all the necessary diagrams on the floor. It was in a small plain outside of Seerin. He had bought a magic amplification talisman and had set up a barrier around him so that the Dragons wouldn't be able to interrupt. He had done it at 2 in the morning, when most people were deeply asleep. He had gone by the guards earlier dressed as a merchant selling some pastries at an extremely cheap price. The dragons had bought it and eaten it up. It had been so easy to drug them. Nihl had taught him some valuable things. Which lead back to the whole question... Merlin as Nihl,... why?  
  
Anyway, he got up and then rested on the small, dingy cot in the corner. It was softer than the floor. He laid his head back and rested, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.  
  
Casting the summoning had taken more energy than he had thought. Merlina had made it seem so easy. Just stand there, recite and hang on. Her tired face had given no hint as to how stinkingly painful it was to hold on. It just looked like you needed a lot of energy. Well, he had been able to cast the spell, but he had collapsed in the process. Since he had fallen down unconscious, his magic barrier had given out, and somehow, the dragons had found him, and dragged him over here.  
  
'Wonder... wonder if I managed to summon Merlin?' he asked himself as he stared at the oppresing blackness around him. 'I'm pretty sure I finished the incantation... So, if I did call him, where is he?' He got up and stretched, trying to work out the knots. He tried to sleep, but he couldn't. He noticed that they had taken away his haversack. So all his notes had been taken away from him. The greedy people. They probably wanted his notes to perform their own summoning or something. Well, that was just a thought. He had left it back at the field. They might have it. Then again, they might have overlooked it.  
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a left over pastry from before. He wouldn't eat it. After all, it would make him sleep and he didn't want to do that now since he could use it for something more practical. He levitated it and put it outside on a little table. Perhaps if the guard ate it up, then he would fall asleep and then he could see if he could steal the keys.  
  
"So, I see you are putting my lessons to good use." said a voice in the dark at the foot of the bed. Xellos started since he hadn't realized that there was a figure there. Well, he hadn't realized that it was Merlin/Nihl who happened to be there.  
  
"Nihl?" he asked softly. He didn't want to wake up anyone who might be down here, including the guard.  
  
"You should have put more of that herb in. Had you killed the Dragons, they wouldn't have found you. A dead enemy isn't much of an enemy, you know." he continued.  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Xellos.  
  
"I was summoned. Not that I usually respond, but the circumstances are different." he said. "So, what would you like to know?"  
  
"Where's Merlina?" he asked. "What did you do to her?"  
  
"She is better off without you and you are better off forgetting her completely. You won't see her again. Well, not unless..." Here, Merlin trailed off.  
  
"Unless what?" asked Xellos.  
  
"You don't want to know." he said. Xellos could feel the coldness in his voice. "Anyway, concidering that I'm a pretty nice guy..." His voice was kind once more. He snapped his fingers and Xellos found himself out of the dungeon and back on the field where he began the rite.  
  
"What..." he started.  
  
"Teleportation." said Merlin. "Now, remember this. That was the last favor I'm going to do for you. After all, you were very kind and helpful to her. You won't see Merlina again, but she's doing quite well, so don't worry. Now,... I must be off. I, too, have duties."  
  
"Wait!" said Xellos. He stopped and turned to look at him.  
  
"You do realize I'm a Mazoku, right?" asked Merlin as he gave him a smirk.  
  
"Yes, sir." said Xellos softly. He took a step back as the wind began to pick up around Merlin.  
  
"Good. You shouldn't forget that either." With that, Merlin turned around once more and then vanished.  
  
Xellos looked at the ground, not quite certain what to do. He saw his pack over beside a bush. Merlin had dropped him off at the point where the summoning had taken place. He picked up his bag and set out walking, not caring where he was going.  
  
Was what Merlin said true? That she was doing fine? But... he wanted to see her and make sure. What had they done to her? Was she turned into a full mazoku? Or did they have her locked up somewhere, where ever it was that Mazoku hung out? His steps took him to the city. It was beginning to dawn. He hurriedly went to his room and locked the door. As he sat down on his bed, he pulled out the staff that Merlina gave him. He twirled it in his hands experimentally and watched it spin expertly in his hands, his fingers nimbly controlling the staff. Merlina had taught him that. She had taught him many things for show, not just to fight. She had told him when he complained about the futility of learning how to kick the staff in the air so that it spun and to catch it that... "Fighting is not just about poking people in the eye with the sharp end of a stick, or raking your knives down their stomach. It's like being a magician. You have two purposes or goals. One is to get it done, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat or defeating a foe. Your other goal is to entertain whoever is watching. A fight is supposed to be interesting. Now, try it again!"  
  
He put down the staff and tried to rest. This always happened to him. He'd go off to find her and try to save her... and something would happen. She'd run away again. She'd get captured. She'd disappear, and once more... he was left behind trying to figure out what to do. What would Merlina do had their places been switched? He changed into his pyjamas and fell asleep. He would have to think some more and think deeply before doing anything else. All his earlier actions had been done with out much thought, as if he were ad libbing on stage. This time, he'd look at the script and be ready.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina smiled from the depths of her robe. In the rowdier parts of Kimbala, anyone could sell you information. It all depended on two things: how much money you offered them, or how painful you could make their lives be. It was a lucky thing she knew how to apply both principles.  
  
She had been walking by herself not even five minutes when two men came to her and pushed her into a dark alley way. Their demands had been simple. Either she gave them her money, or they'd take her life and then her money and then her dignity, although not necesarilly in that order. Merlina simplified things for them. They'd give her information and she'd let them live. If not... well... she could go both ways. Considering that she had pinned one of the men to a wall with two daggers and held the other at bay with the sharp end of her sword pointed at his neck, it was pretty easy for them to figure out what was best for them.  
  
Now that she had gotten some information from them, all she had to do was double check it against a few more sources. She smiled fearlessly as she walked the streets. Some of the pedestrians stayed away from her. It was usually advisable to stay away from mysterious cloacked figures, whether they were a guy or a girl. The fact that she was unknown added to their caution. She then turned left and entered a small store where she bought some bread and asked about the information she had. Satisfied that it was correct, she left the area and then to the outskirts of the city. She still had time till her dad or uncle would come for her. In the meantime... Her smooth white hands reached into her bag and took out the bread she had saved and ate it ravenously.  
  
"Yummy." she said as she leaned against a rock and smiled as she felt the comfortable sun land on her skin. She drew back the cloak and let her red hair shimmer and warm up in the afternoon sun. She then took out the newspaper she had read that morning and looked at the small article concerning the arrest that took place yesterday at Seerin.  
  
'Seerin...' she wondered. 'What was the guy doing in Seerin that he got arrested?' She knew a bit about Seerin. She knew that there were a few dragons there, but they didn't do much to bother the Mazoku. Zelas had mentioned them in passing when naming some locations where dragons were found. Actually, dragons were found in every city, but not all places had a temple. Take for example, the city where she had found her father, in Senarry. It had dragons and a temple. But it wasn't too big of a town. It wasn't too important of a town. But it had the dragon temple and it was considered a city.  
  
A faint memory stirred within the recesses of her mind. There was something very significant about that fact, but everytime she grabbed at it, it would disappear. It was like trying to grab a fish in water. She could feel the tendrils of her thoughts escaping her like a slippery fish or like whisps of smoke. How frustruating...  
  
She suddenly realized that the only way to figure the mystery out would be to 1.) ask Merlin or Zelas or 2.) ask that Xellos kid. The first option was out. Something in her stopped her from being open about Xellos. Besides, she reasoned to herself, she would learn the art of keeping secrets. The second option was hard also. First, she'd have to find him. Then, she'd have to decide just how much she'd tell him. And it would probably be hard to get him to open up to her concerning the small, but estremely vital, details that eluded her. She rested a bit and then exercised a bit to pass the time until they came to pick her up.  
  
*****  
  
That night, while doing her research, Merlina came across a strange list. She was doing some research on Mazoku to see what more she could learn. Sure, Zelas told her a bit, and Merlin did too... but that was from their viewpoint. The human viewpoint was just as informing and interesting. She saw that some time ago, people had been very eager to summon Mazoku. For instance, there was the political reason. You need someone killed and blamed on others? If you were strong enough, you could summon a lower Mazoku and send them to kill. It was done quite a few times in the history of heirs in a kingdom. She remembered seeing this list when she was looking where to cast a summon. She then looked at the list of places that came with it. This was the reason that Seerin had looked so familiar! It was in the list! There was Trystanine and Senarry and Seerin. These were all places that she had gone to... But why had she not realized it until now? It was as if the memory had been repressed. She frowned thoughtfully. What other memories did she have repressed? Could Xellos be one of them also? She quickly wrote down the places and the bibliography to be able to look things up later. She looked at the next place on the list. It was.... Zephyria. And that would be in a week. If Xellos was trying to summon a Mazoku for some reason... A scenario began to play in her mind.  
  
Xellos had been looking for a girl called Merlina Quertwen, of about her age with similar looks. There was the tiny, slim chance that it wasn't her, so she had to be prepared. So, the girl had vanished five months ago. The same time she had cast her spell to find her father. She used to live as a human. So to any other human she'd have vanished because she went with her dad. The places which Xellos mentioned, Senarry and now Seerin... those where the places that summons could be done successfully...  
  
She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. She put her books away and carefully hid her notes. She jumped onto her bed and took out the crystal ball she had bought. There had been two, one for her and one for him. She didn't dare use it now since she didn't want Zelas to know about it. She'd use it the next time she was out. She'd perfect the art of teleporting and that way, she would have a greater freedom to pursue her little... quest. She had a bit less than a week. But then again, Merlina Quertwen was an ace at everything she put her mind to... well... except white magic, but that wasn't her fault.  
  
*****  
  
Xellas had decided one thing. Merlina wouldn't have wanted to be with the Mazoku in any way, shape or form. She would have fought against it. Well, his theory was that she was caught by the Mazoku. When a demon takes notice of you, you can't escape easily, and Merlina probably hadn't even seen it coming. He'd go and find her. Which meant summoning Merlin up for some information. He'd pretend to be interested or something. Anything to get his attention and become his 'friend'. He could fake wanting to join the Mazoku ranks as a human helper or something along those lines. Perhaps a human informant or something. Which he could do. He'd be fine. The other option he had was to ally himself with the dragons for protection and help in case Merlin or any other Mazoku got mad at him. Either one would work. It would be better if he had the aide of the Dragon's, but considering his record... and his reasons, they might not help him. But, he had thought up a brilliant plan. Well, not brilliant, but it would suffice.  
  
Xellos smiled to himself cheerfully. He walked merilly down the road whistling softly. He used his staff as a make shift walking stick. He still had the ingredients. He was fortunate that Merlina's flask of dragon blood was so big. It meant that he wouldn't have to kill one anytime soon. He continued on his way north, to Zephyria.  
  
*****  
  
After three days...  
  
Merlina teleported into Zelas's chamber when it was time for her daily talk with her.  
  
"Tada!" she cried with a smile, right before she sank on her knees trying to catch her breath back.  
  
Zelas looked up, a half amused smile on her face.  
  
"I see you finally got the hang of it." she said with a wry look on her face. Merlina shakily got up and grinned at her.  
  
"Yeah..." she said as she walked unsteadily to her chair and sank down on it.  
  
"Well, may I offer my congratulations..." said Zelas with a smirk on her face. Merlina laughed tiredly. "Anyway, rest a bit before I send you on your next mission. Or else, you'll be too tired to do anything.  
  
After Merlina had rested a bit, Zelas gave her a small letter.  
  
"There is an informant in the city of Seyruun. I want you to go there and give this to him. Then you'll have the rest of the day off for yourself."  
  
"How will I know?" asked Merlina.  
  
"Code." she said. "You will be at a cafe called Seyruun's Garden at twelve o'clock. You must be by yourself at a corner. He is told to look for a red head with a ruby necklace. He will tell you that he likes your necklace. You are to say that they are quite rare and precious. Made from crystallized drops of blood."  
  
"Um... OK." said Merlina. "I can handle that. Don't worry about a thing."  
  
"Good." said Zelas. "I knew I could trust in you. Remember, don't tell anyone else about this."  
  
"Sure thing." said Merlina. Merlin then teleported into the room.  
  
"You called, Lady Zelas?" he asked as he bowed.  
  
"Yes." said Zelas. "Please take Merlina to Seyruun and pick her up, as usual, at sunset."  
  
"Of course." he said and bowed again. "Let's go, Lina chan!" The two left the room. Zelas smiled.  
  
*****  
  
The message was passed. The other spy had left soon after receiving the letter, and Merlina found herself with about six hours of free time to waste. She grinned as she bought for herself two peach pastries, an ice cream, strawberries and cream, some fruit yoghurt and a big glass of orange and strawberry juice to finish. She ate daintily but fast, her silverware blurring in the air. But she ate politely. There was no drop of cream or juice spilled. The plates were left gleaming and looked as if she had licked them clean. (She hadn't.) And when she finished, she took her cloth napkin and dabbed daintily like a lady at her lips. There were a few dishes before her, all stacked on each other looking neat and tidy. There was not a drop of juice left in her glass. She smiled and then paid for her snacks and left a small tip.  
  
Once finished, she wondered what to do. As she walked, she thought of an idea. She walked to an empty lot and seeing that no one was there, she then practiced her teleportation skills. First she did small distances, or like a meter or two. This helped when she would fight. It would definately throw her enemies off guard. The only problem was that she easily got tired. She stopped and leaned against the wall. Once she had gotten her breath back, she practiced again. And she spent the whole afternoon doing that, only stopping to catch her breath for a few seconds.  
  
*****  
  
The end of the week was finally here. Merlina felt like a coiled spring, ready to let herself loose and fly off to figure out what was happening in Zephyria. She didn't mind that Zephyria was the town that she had grown up in. Most of the people might recognize her, but now, she could blast them to itty bitty pieces if she felt like it. Well, OK, she could do that before also, but she was more polite back then. Speaking of said things, she looked at her staff. The small wisp of pink inside the jewel had turned a bit more... red. It looked quite pretty, Merlina thought. It was like having caught a tendril of smoke. She shook her staff. As usual, the wisp moved with it.. There was something about the red wisp that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but she didn't mind. She'd remember later, if it was important. She put her sword on carefully. She rarely used her sword to fight with. It meant having to clean blood and gore off her sword later on. She used the staff more often, but she was still a good swordsman. Anyone who thought differently soon learned the wrongness of their convictions. She ran out her room and shut the door, making beeline for Zelas's chamber. She passed a few Mazoku on her way. They all stayed out of the way she was going and refrained as much as possible from looking at her. Seeing her eyes shimerring gave some of them goosebumps. She was a little early today because she was eager to get this over with. She stopped at the door. There were no guards or Mazoku around here. Zelas could take care of herself. Usually, by the time she arrived, the door was opened for her. Today, it was closed. She heard a faint mumbling. Immediatly, she quieted down and made her presence as small as possible. Pressing her ear to the door, she calmed her breathing so that she could hear what was going on.  
  
Now, spying wasn't that big a deal for Merlina. Afterall, the better informed you were, the better you'll be able to look after yourself. Zelas heself had taught her that. She did while looking for information all the time. This was the first time she had spied on Zelas, though. A month ago, she wouldn't have dared. But now, with the possiblity of having a surpressed memory and other little secrets floating about she wanted to know the truth. And since she couldn't get the truth from Zelas by talking face to face with her...  
  
She could only hear small snatches of the conversation. But she recognized the voices. One was Zelas, of course. The second was her father. He sounded subdued while Zelas sounded angry. Her eyes widened as she caught her name being spoken.*** Her father mumbled something else and then there was utter silence. Scared, Merlina walked away as fast and as silently as she could. When she made it to the other end of the hall, she walked normally, making sure that her footsteps and the clacking of her staff made some noise so that it seemed as if she had just come. By the time she had arrived, the door was opened.  
  
"Hello, Merlina. Come in," said Zelas. She didn't look as if she had been angry 20 seconds ago. Her eyes were cool and calm, looking pretty cold. "It's nice to see that you're always so punctual." Merlina sweated slightly.  
  
"You know me." she said weakly. "I try my best."  
  
"OK, today, I need you Zephyria." said Zelas. She watched Merlina carefully for any change in her expression.  
  
"Zephyria? Oh, OK." said Merlina, trying to look as calm and controlled as Zelas. "I know my way around there."  
  
"An informant will come to you." said Zelas. "They will give you a note, which you are to bring to me as soon as you are picked up."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." said Merlina.  
  
"You are not to read the note, as usual." said Zelas with a smile. "It will basically concern some political matters that you have no need to worry about."  
  
"Yes, Zelas." said Merlina obidiently. "How will the informant find me?"  
  
"You will stay at the home you used to live in." said Zelas.  
  
"No problem." said Merlina.  
  
"Now, go." said Zelas. "You have five minutes before Mesphisel takes you on shore."  
  
"Mesphisel?" asked Merlina. "Where's dad?"  
  
"Merlin is doing something else for me." said Zelas. Merlina nodded and left. Something was bothering her. She wondered if her dad was OK. She wondered if she should even care if he was OK or not... she wondered whether she should even do this... But that was a crazy idea! To even wonder about obeying Zelas...  
  
*****  
  
Xellos looked at the town. He was back in Zephyria, and truth be told, it felt nice to be back. He looked about him. Some children stopped and stared at him. Some seemed to recognize him, some didn't. He wondered where most of his classmates where. But what he wanted to know the most... was where his mother was. He passed by his home. It was still as big and clean and impressive as before. He couldn't imagine living in such a costly place again. The garden looked like it was being taken care of, so he assumed his mother was around somewhere. There were a few nagging questions in the back of his brain. For example... why hadn't his mother looked for him while he was gone? There had been no news concerning the disappearance of two kids or anything similar. He continued to walk. This wasn't his home anymore, and he had no reason to be here.  
  
He went on walking. He was trying to concentrate. Today, he would cast ths summoning. He would try to call Merlina this time. It had hit him as an idea on the way here. After all, Merlina had been half Mazoku, so surely, she could also be pulled to where he was. It was worth a try, at least. He walked on, not even imagining what was to come.  
  
  
  
End of the Chapter  
  
***Isn't it interesting how you can't hear what people are saying, but if someone mentions your name, you can clearly hear it, even though you're reading or working? *grin*  
  
  
  
Author's Notes  
  
To everyone who is reading this, thankyou for all your continued support in your reviews and small little notes of encouragement. Well, this is going to be the last chapter that comes out quickly cause classes are going to start very soon. Which means that I have a lot of work to catch up on. For example, I am learning French and Greek. (Don't ask... I just went crazy while deciding my schedule...) So, if you don't see a chapter in a month or two or five, please realize that I haven't fallen off the world. I'm just buried under a pile of homework. Every once in a while, I'll push a note from my place under the pile asking for some oolong tea (caffeine source, can't stand coffee) and a small bite to eat. *grin*  
  
If you wish for an e-mail written to you so that you don't have to check once every day to see if I have had enough time to type, just drop me a note. (either a review or e-mail will do) (This is my evil, wicked terrible plot to encourage all of you to review... mwahahahahaha!!!) ^.^  
  
  
  
Take care, everyone! Until then!  
  
Hotaru Kimiko Lai 


	12. Chapter 12

Once Upon a Time  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: Slayers is not mine. But it's such an awesome cartoon I wanted to see what little bit I could contribute to its story line. ^.^  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Xellos walked away from his home, his steps slow and sure. He used his staff, but it was quite obvious to whoever cared to watch that he did not need to use his staff for walking purposes. But no one was there to make that observation, except one.  
  
"Xellos?" asked a voice. Xellos stopped hesitantly. He thought he recognized the voice... He slowly turned around, his purple eyes taking in everything he saw. His gaze came to rest on a petite lady who stood a few meters from him.  
  
"Xellos, is that you?" asked the lady. He looked at her and walked slowly towards her. He took in her black hair, the familiar curve of her face and the unsure purple eyes.  
  
"M..m...mother?" he asked, not quite believing it.  
  
"Oh, Xellos!" she cried and ran to him, giving him a tight hug as tears leaked out from her closed eyes. "I thought I'd never see you..."  
  
"Mom?" he asked as he held her at arms length from him. He had grown taller than her and she looked different. She still had that slight look of nobility that others called pride, but she had changed. She looked more tired than before and sadder.  
  
"Oh, Xellos. I'm so glad you came back!" she said. He hugged her awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Within a minute, she had composed herself. She wiped her tears and stood up straight looking like a noble with a regal look on her face. "Oh, forgive me, Xellos. You must be tired after your trip. Do come into your home." She led him to the house.  
  
Xellos followed her as if in a dream. He hadn't known what to expect when he had come to Zephyria, but he hadn't been expecting this. The house looked just as neat and in order as he remembered it. There were new servants there, although he recognized one or two of them. They certainly remembered him and bowed to him. Xellos bowed back, forgetting that here, he was a rich family's son and was higher and more important than them. But living by yourself for a long time made you realize that everyone was too uniquely different to be judged simply. His mother clapped her hands and ordered for tea to be made. She led him into the living room and had him sit down on one of the very comfortable chairs around there.  
  
"How are you Xellos?" she asked. Xellos looked at her. She was acting more normal now. She had composed herself too, and looked like the perfect hostess.  
  
"I am doing fine, mother." he said as he accepted a teacup from a servant. "And you?"  
  
"Oh, it's been fine here also." she said as she put a lump of sugar in her tea. Xellos declined the sucrose, preferring his to be bitter. "What have you been doing?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing much. Traveling around." he said. "I went to many towns and cities. I'm even in a guild now."  
  
"You work?" she asked, surprise coming over her features.  
  
"Of course." he said. "I had to find a way to make a living. And it has been quite nice. It's an easy job for me and it pays well."  
  
"What do you do?" she asked, curious.  
  
"I'm part of the Guild of Healers." said Xellos.  
  
"Oh, I'm glad!" said the mother. "Not that you have to work, of course. But that you are still practicing your white magic."  
  
"Of course, mother." he said. He watched his mother finish the last of her tea and stand up briskly.  
  
"Well, now that you're back, you won't have to work anymore." she said as she smiled at him. "You don't know how lonely I've been here this past year and a half. If you want, I'll send a letter to the Guild Head closest here to remove you from the list if you don't want to write it yourself. Now that you're here, you can finally relax after all that traveling you've done." she said with a smile. Xellos was shocked. "You know... I was thinking,... even if you do want to work, I'm sure we can find something that won't stress you too much. Perhaps tutoring, or even teach at the school. I'm sure the people would be thrilled to hear about you! And oh, so many things to be done! You know, there is a very sweet girl I know of. She's 15 and I'm sure she'd be absolutely thrilled if you became her tutor. She's from a good family also, you know. I'm sure you two will hit of so well!" She got up and walked about the room, looking excited. Then she glanced at the clock.  
  
"Oh, dearie me!" she said. "I must be going! Take care Xellos. I'll take care of everything. You can relax now!" She hurried out before Xellos could say anything or stop her.  
  
"What was that about?" he asked himself as he stood up. He hadn't understood what she had said. It was something about him quitting the Guild. She had actually spoken as if he were going to stay here to live! She probably had been thinking that. Well, he wasn't sure what he'd do. He'd first see what would turn about with the summoning. He took the teacups and cleaned up the table. A servant boy came and looked surprised on seeing Xellos cleaning up and drying up any spilled drops of tea.  
  
"Sir!" he said as he ran forward. "I'm sorry. Here, let me take it for you."  
  
"No, nonsense." said Xellos. "Here, grab a biscuit. I never liked tea with biscuits anyway." He passed the thin silver plate to him. The boy looked at him and Xellos smiled. "Go ahead. They're good, but I don't like anything with my tea, you know."  
  
"Thank you, sir." said the kid. He took a little piece that had broken off from one of the other biscuits.  
  
"No, take a whole one." said Xellos. He plucked one with a napkin and gave it to the kid. "It may seem a bit dry on the outside, but it has jelly inside. You'll like it. Unless you don't like strawberry jelly." He grinned and took the tray with all the tea things and went to set it in the kitchen. The kid just looked after him with a surprised look on his face. Then he smiled. His new master was a nice person, it seemed. He looked at the biscuit in the napkin. He had even used a napkin so that it was totally clean. He smiled and took it out back to where the servant's quarters were and split it with his mother, who did the gardening at the huge house.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina walked about the city. She had decided that it would be better if she didn't make her presence too obvious. She would only stay for one day anyway. So she walked in the shadows and put all her skill in sneaking along the streets of what used to be her home. She noticed with some satisfaction that no one really saw her and that many things were still the same. Her home was on the outskirts of town. She remembered it with a slight smile on her face. She came across her house and just stood before it. It was a small, tiny house. They were only two people. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It may be small, but it had the woods as a backyard, and she remembered all the lessons that her mother had given her in sword fighting. She had been the Swordsman of Light even though she had been a girl instead of a guy. She shook her head. Enough about memories. She opened the door and preceded to wait in there for the messenger of whoever it was that was sending a note to Zelas. She wondered who it'd be. Would the messenger be a townsperson? Or a stranger who wouldn't recognize her? Or maybe a lower Mazoku who served as spy for Zelas. She draped her black cloak over a chair. She noticed with satisfaction that the place wasn't too vandalized. People had been probably too scared to enter the witches home. She looked through the cupboards. She found some food, all moldy, rotten and decomposing after so long. She did some clean up, throwing away all the dirty and dead stuff in the house. She summoned a small wind and used it to blow the dust out the window. A small water spell served to wash the simple wooden table and the small pieces of furniture here and there. She thought a bit and then grinned. It would be nice if she had something small to offer to the messenger. It would certainly put them off balance. She went out and chose the newest looking shop and bought some cookies and bread with nuts and a small simple plate to put them on. She also bought some juice and two glasses where she poured the juice into. Merlina stood in the middle of the kitchen and looked.  
  
'There.' she thought to herself. 'It looks decent now. I can entertain some company in here, now.' She took out from her bag a small watch. She had saved some money from her small fights with bandits and robbers and from the allowance her father gave her once she started going to town, and had bought a small pocket watch. It had a simple silver cover and you opened it like a locket. Inside was the face of the watch, all in black with small silver numbers and two small silver hands. She had liked it a lot. The clock's soft ticking accompanied her as she sat down at the table, facing away from the door. It was called setting up an atmosphere. She had put her cloak back on, but left the hood down, letting her now, long red hair tumbling down her back. In two minutes there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in." she said, loud enough for the person outside to hear. And the door creaked open slowly. "In the kitchen, please." The footsteps got closer and closer, louder and louder.  
  
"You are the messenger?" asked Merlina. She didn't look at whoever it was who came in. She motioned for the person to have a seat. "Sit down, and have a snack. The bread is fresh."  
  
There was a gasp from behind her. Normally, Merlina would have turned around hurriedly to see what was happening, but months of training to look composed had changed her a bit and all she did was turn slowly to look at the messenger. What she saw, could be said to have shocked her.  
  
Five minutes later, the messenger was sitting across from Merlina looking into Merlina's cold, red eyes.  
  
"So we see each other again." said Merlina. She offered the messenger a glass of juice. "Like I said, help yourself to some bread. Don't worry, it's not poisoned or anything like that."  
  
Mrs. Kyuzan's face was set in a resolute mask of uncaring. Only her eyes betrayed her, and they were scared and surprised.  
  
"I take it you have a note for me, Mrs. Kyuzan?" asked Merlina with a cold smile on her face. She took a bite out of a cookie and then took a small sip of juice.  
  
"Yes." said the messenger trying to sound brave. Her purple eyes wavered a bit.  
  
"Oh, don't get it now." said Merlina. "We have some time. Do have a small bite to eat. I'm so dreadfully sorry that I can only offer you some bread, cookies and juice. But you must know that I just came in today." Xellos's mother took a small sip of juice. She cleared her throat and spoke.  
  
"Although this is a most opportune moment to talk, I'm afraid I must get going. I have many duties to oversee." she said. She reached into her pocket and drew out a note.  
  
"Why, thank you." said Merlina. "So nice of you to send the message to my boss." Mrs. Kyuzan left as quickly as she could.  
  
When she had left, Merlina let out a depressed sigh. She walked about the kitchen cleaning up while speaking to herself. "How depressing!" she said. "Life stinks... to think that Mrs. Kyuzan, the town's leading white priestess... sending a note to Zelas Beastmaster... " She sat down on a chair and sighed some more. Sometimes... you wondered about people. People could be just as tricky and as evil as Mazoku. She decided to just rest for a bit. She felt like she had no energy to do anything else. Even finding Xellos took a back burner to the suffocating sense of tiredness and apathy she was feeling. She locked the door of the house and went up to her room. She aired out her bed and rested on it for a bit, letting her tired eyes close.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos had left the house as soon as he finished helping put the tea things away. He had nothing too great against his mother and that is why he had left a note saying that he'd be back later because he had important matters to attend to. He walked to the place where the summoning site was supposed to be. He opened up his senses to see where the actual weakening was. He walked through a few streets he didn't recognize and soon came upon a small house that looked abandoned. He stopped in front. He recognized this house. Merlina used to live here along with her mother. It was probably just another coincidence...  
  
Here, he sat on the small porch of the house and looked about him. It was a nice place, he had to admit. He still remembered how he used to look down on Merlina's place with scorn. It was overrun with plants and trees because it was right at the edge of the forest. Not only that, but the house was small, compared to his home. But after months of traveling and seeing inns in worse shape than this, he began to realize how nice the place was. Due to its growth of plants, it looked like it was in the woods instead of Zephyria. It had a huge backyard that was connected to the woods, providing a nice place to rest, to practice or to just look at. The house was simple and practical and the whole area was extremely picturesque. He closed his eyes and imagined how it must have been when Merlina was here along with her mother. She remembered those few times when Merlina had walked into class looking tired and sporting bruises but her eyes had always been satisfied. He had wondered about it and found out later through one of his constant companions that she had been in a fight. They had, of course, forgotten to mention that she had been training with her mother. He had figured that out by asking one of the servants who knew the Quertwen family.  
  
He abruptly got up and walked to the backyard. That was were the weakening of the fabric of reality was. It sort of made sense to him that one of the weak spots was where Merlina and Jera had lived. They had probably taken good care of it since they usually didn't let others come into their home.  
  
He stood in the middle of the yard and traced his circles and stars. He then proceeded to place amplifying talismans around the yard. He hadn't seen any dragons around Zephyria who would stop him, but he had to be sure. When they were set, he threw his strongest barrier spell through one of the talismans. It immediately activated, rising a foot above ground. It gave off a shard of light. As if in reply, the other talismans also rose from the ground. The shard of light jumped from talisman to talisman, looking as if it were running and jumping from one to the other. He smiled as he saw the spell work. Before leaving on his trip to Zephyria, he had done even more research. Mostly from Merlina's notes. He had read through all of them and had been surprised to see at all the notes she had. They were written in two hands, some written by Jera and others by Merlina. It was surprising to see all the knowledge that Merlina had in sheets of paper. Jera had written many spells and notes on various things that had been passed from her family of white mages and had given to Merlina. Which was where he had found this barrier spell. He stepped in, sprinkled the ingredients about and performed the summoning.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina was having a dreamless sleep. Her consciousness was relaxing slightly, and all around her mind there was an all encompassing blackness that sucked out the light out of anything. She was in that darkness, resting against nothing as she drifted in her sleep. Suddenly, there was a hole forming to one side of her where the darkness began to lighten up. It formed a tunnel that began to reach for her. As soon as it touched her foot, Merlina jumped awake in her consciousness and looked wildly about her.  
  
"What the.." she started. She jumped back, getting out of the way of the tunnel that seemed to be reaching for her. "What is this!?" She got out of the way and frowned. Whatever it was, she didn't like it. Hurriedly, she summoned her power to her and used it to manipulate her consciousness. The tunnel got smaller and smaller but still tried to reach her. "Stay away!" she shouted at it as she once more manipulated her astral surroundings. With a final twist of her wrist, the tunnel was smashed and it faded. She rolled her eyes and fixed her hair. "Stupid thing. This is the last time I'm sleeping on the Astral Plane ever again!" She closed her eyes to concentrate and then woke herself up.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos sank down into the ground, fatigue sweeping over him. It hadn't worked. For a moment, the spell had been pulling on something but it was only momentary and then the spell had been sent back to him with nothing. He sighed. It was supposed to find Merlina... and this seemed to show that Merlina wasn't a Mazoku. Which left the possibility that she was gone or that she was locked up somewhere that not even a summoning spell would be able to pull them from. He rested on his knees, trying to concentrate on something other than the deep sense of desperation that was beginning to wash over him. He trembled and clutched the grass wildly in his hands as he tightened his eyes. He had been staking all his hopes on being able to find Merlina even though he had told himself that it might not work. He sighed as he let a few tears drop down onto the ground, quickly absorbed by the dry land.  
  
Why had he been trying to find her in the first place? It's not as if they were mega awesome, wonderful, totally bonded friends... But lately, he had come to realize that there was a hollow ache somewhere in him that was driving him to finding her. He had hoped that on finding her, he'd figure out what was happening, but he hadn't found her yet. And with that last thought, he began to weep.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina woke up slightly grouchy. She had been enjoying her rest when that silly tunnel came for her. She sighed and stretched her muscles. She had been only sleeping for about half an hour, she found out as she looked at her watch. She got up from her bed and went over to her desk and took out her brush to fix her hair. She absentmindedly looked out of the window to see the scenery. Her room faced the backyard and always offered her a serene and picturesque view of the woods. Today, there was a shining, mother of pearl colored shield in her yard. There was a shadow of something in the middle that she couldn't quite make out. She frowned slightly and went out to see what was the matter. As she got closer to the shield, her steps slowed down. She got close to the barrier and studied it carefully, it's magic reminding her slightly of something. She reached out to touch it and was surprised when it made way for her to enter the shield. She shook her head. What use was a shield that let someone come in with out a fight? She looked toward the center of the dome formed by the magic and was surprised at what she saw.  
  
"...Xellos?..." she asked hesitantly. She remembered the purplish colored hair of the boy she had talked to before. On hearing her voice, his whole body tensed and he slowly got up from his kneeled position to look at who had come into the shield. He wiped tears from his eyes with his sleeve. On seeing her, his eyes widened with surprise and then with joy.  
  
"Merlina!" he shouted. He sprinted toward her and caught her in a huge bear hug. Merlina stood shocked, not knowing what to do. She recognized the patterns on the floor. They were the patterns used to cast a summoning of a Mazoku. She was slightly shorter than Xellos and he had crushed her to him, his eyes letting tears flow again.  
  
"Xellos?" she asked again. He held her at arms length and smiled.  
  
"See, Merlina? I can cast a summoning also!" he said as he took in her surprised expression. Then he fainted with exertion into her arms. She sighed. Poor guy. He had made the same mistake again, and this time, he had been so tired and exhausted and emotionally spent that he had just fainted. She sighed and took him inside the house and set him on her bed. Her home didn't have guest rooms since hardly anyone came and it would have been a waste of money. As soon as he was sleeping soundly, she went out to clean up the yard. When she had put Xellos's things away, she had only to deal with the barrier. She closed her eyes and concentrated on it, trying to see how it would fall apart. Suddenly, she remembered how she was supposed to get it to go away. She went inside and drew a small insignia on the earth and used a small fireball to cause it to break apart. With a satisfied smile she picked everything up, not caring to know how she had suddenly known how it had worked.  
  
*****  
  
An hour later, Xellos woke up. He looked around him and noticed the strange bed and room. It was big and it had a desk and a small closet. There were hooks on the wall to hang up clothes and as Xellos inspected them a bit more, weapons. He walked around and stretched his muscles, trying to remember how he got here. He walked about the room, stroking his chin as his calm purple eyes stared at nothing in particular. He remembered he was in Zephyria and had gone to Merlina's home to cast the summoning and it hadn't worked, but then he still saw Merlina...  
  
"That's it!" he told himself just as the smell of cooking meat assaulted his nose. He was in Merlina's room. He went to the window and saw that it was the yard, although his barrier wasn't there. Not that it posed much of a problem for him. Merlina was here! She had probably deactivated it. She'd be the only one to know how to other than him and any other people Jera's family had told. He noted the position of the sun, noting that is was probably 2 or 3 in the afternoon. With an excited look on his eyes, he ran down the stairs into the kitchen.   
  
"Merlina!?" he asked as he entered the kitchen. There she was, her vibrant red hair pulled back as she cooked some food. She looked back and smiled at him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Xellos." she said. Her face changed for a bit. "Before you get your hopes too high, I must tell you that I am the girl you ran across long ago in that harbor city at the southern end of the continent." She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Xellos."  
  
"You're... not..." He slunk into a chair.  
  
"No, I'm not." she said. She flipped some meet from the pan and then put a plate of food before him. "Here, have some. You need to get your strength back.  
  
"Thank you." he said as he stared at the plate before him. So, it hadn't been his Merlina that he had seen... it was the other one. Wait... what was she doing here? He asked her.  
  
"Me?" asked Merlina. "Why, I'm here in Zephyria on some business and decided to come home to rest so that I don't have to go to an inn."  
  
"Home?" he asked. "But... this is Merlina's home." She looked at him quizzically.  
  
"No,... this is my home." she said. She looked at him. He looked tired, but not delirious. There was a reason for him to claim that this was some other girl's home. "Look, Xellos. It' s obvious that there is something strange going on. Now, I'm curious as to all of this and if you would be so kind as to tell me about your friend Merlina, maybe I can figure something out." Xellos stalled a bit. He didn't know how much he should tell her. But then again, she looked trustworthy. She also seemed worried also. Seeing his hesitation, Merlina spoke up.  
  
"Here, I'll tell you what I know about you and your friend. Some is guesswork, I must admit, but I've been thinking about this for some time now. After that, if you think I'm being honest, you fill in for me the rest of the details, OK?" That sounded OK to Xellos and he nodded. "Here's what I know. You're looking for a girl who vanished about half a year ago. Her name is Merlina and she looks pretty much like me. You are here in Zephyria to cast a summoning spell, and looking at your materials, I'm guessing you're trying to summon a Mazoku. You were last caught in Senarry or something like that, and you were also trying to summon a Mazoku there. If I guess correctly you were also in Trystamine, right?" He nodded. "Now, you wonder how I know? I have a list saying where all the summoning places are where the fabric of reality is weak on certain days." There was some silence. "That's what I guessed. Now, I'm asking you for your story. I only have two questions for you, OK?" He nodded again. It seemed amazing to him that someone else seemed to know so much of what he had been doing.  
  
"Here goes... question #1. You said that this was your Merlina's home..." she started.  
  
"Not my Merlina." interrupted Xellos. "We were friends. We're not together or anything like that." She nodded with a smile.  
  
"OK... if this is Merlina's home... she was a Zephyrian. What was her mother's name?" she asked.  
  
"Her mother?" asked Xellos, not expecting that question. "Let's see... her name was Jera Quertwen." Merlina paled and sat on a chair to avoid falling over.  
  
"OK... #2 Why was Merlina summoning Mazoku?" she asked, her eyes piercing his.  
  
"How did you..." he started.  
  
"I just knew. I put a few clues together. You and her visited cities where Mazoku can be summoned. This place also. And you were trying to summon one just now. Why?" she asked. Her fingers were gripping the wood of the table. Xellos took a deep breath.  
  
"Merlina was not just summoning any Mazoku. She was looking for one in particular, called Merlin. What's wrong?" The last part was said with a touch of concern as Merlina gasped and started breathing quickly. She waved him away.  
  
"I'll be OK." she said. She took a deep breath to calm herself. After a bit, she began to speak. "OK, you've been honest with me. I'll be honest with you." And with that, she told him what she suspected.  
  
"My name is Merlina Quertwen." she began. Xellos looked at her with surprise. "I think... I am the Merlina you're looking for. But I'm sorry, I don't recognize you."  
  
"What?" he asked. "But you can't be!"  
  
"Says the one who has mistaken me twice for the other Merlina." said Merlina wryly.  
  
"But... Merlina... you can't be. She was different!" he said, not knowing how to tell the girl before him.  
  
"As in she was half mazoku and half human?" asked Merlina wryly.  
  
"How did you know?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Because I happen to be half mazoku and half human." she said. "It's too coincidental. There's no other way it works out."  
  
"But... but..." started Xellos as he looked at her.  
  
"I too was looking for Merlin. I too was summoning Mazoku." she said. "I vanished from the human world when I found him and stayed with my father, Merlin." said Merlina.  
  
"You... Then you are... Merlina?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Yes." she said as she nodded her head.  
"But... you don't remember me?" he asked. He felt empty. It was a victory. He had found her... but she didn't remember him...  
  
"No, I'm sorry." she said as she looked at him, straight in the eyes. They were sad and pained.  
  
"Well, that's OK." said Xellos trying to sound cheerful. "I'm glad you're all OK, Merlina!" Merlina felt even more rotten than she had before. She looked out the window, away from his gaze.  
  
"So... well, I'm here. What did you want to tell me?" she finally asked.  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Well, I'm guessing that since you spent so long looking for me that there must have been a reason." said Merlina. "Something like... I don't know... I owe you money?"  
  
"Well, not that." said Xellos. "I wanted to see how you were doing. You vanished when Merlin kidnapped you..."  
  
"Wait... hang on a sec..." said Merlina. "He... kidnapped me?"  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos. "We were in the temple building and you had just summoned him. He found out who you were, cast a sleep spell on you and took you away. That's why I spent so long searching. I feared he had done something to you."  
  
Merlina fell silent as she thought through what he had told her.  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked him. Xellos cocked his head at that weird question.  
  
"Yeah. Anyway, some time ago, I finally completed a summon... the one you read in the newspaper. Merlin came and freed me but he didn't tell me anything about you and I feared the worst. I knew that you hated the Mazoku as well as the Dragons. Well, that's how you talked about them. Anyway, I thought either you were dead or were forced to become a total Mazoku." said Xellos. "Knowing that you were only half, I tried the summoning on you. Did it work, by the way?"  
  
"Yes... but I closed the portal before it got to me." said Merlina. "Sorry, I didn't know it was a summoning. First time and all that." There was silence.  
  
"So, what are you doing now?" asked Xellos, getting a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"Me?" asked Merlina. She thought a bit. She worked for the Mazoku. She hung out with them. She actually got to torture a few last week since Zelas had told her to. She had known she had been a half Mazoku before. Now... what was she? Was it true that she used to dislike Mazoku? Odds were that she probably had. As she thought more and more, she realized that something was dreadfully wrong. Just the fact that she couldn't remember Xellos, yet he knew so much about her... at least, it seemed that way...  
  
"I have a question for you." she said, ignoring his other question. "You seem to know me a lot. But I don't remember you. How can I trust you?" Her eyes looked at him. He seemed to be genuine... but she had to make sure.  
  
"Well... I take it since you don't recognize me, then you probably don't remember everything that has happened, I take it?" asked Xellos. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll tell you what has happened."  
  
An hour had passed since Xellos had begun his story. She had handled it all as bravely as she could and had strained her brain to remember something of what he was telling her. Oh, she remembered a few snippets here and there, but she didn't remember him. She had known her mother had died, but she didn't know that she had been searching for Merlin to get answers from him. And now.... it seemed as if the past few months had really happened and that her travels were all some dream, but she was getting more and more sure that her memories weren't complete. But she still had to make sure.  
  
"I need proof." she said. Xellos thought for a bit. He understood why she needed the proof. He'd be pretty suspicious of anyone who came to him with information on his past that he didn't remember.  
  
"Let me go get it." he said. He went upstairs to his room and grabbed his bag and took it down. As he sat down, he asked her to write something down. She took his offered quill and wrote a bit on a paper.  
  
"Now?" she asked.  
  
He took out the sheets of notes that Merlina had written. She compared them.  
  
"And if that isn't enough.." said Xellos as he reached within his cloak and drew out his black staff. "Remember this?" He twirled the staff expertly in his fingers as he smiled at her. He was smiling not because he was finally convincing her that he wasn't a fake. He was smiling because of the memories that assaulted his brain. He remembered her smile on her lips and the twinkle of her eyes as they sparred. "You made it for me before you went off to find your father. I managed to follow you but it was sort of my fault you were caught by the first set of Dragons."  
  
"May I?" she asked. He tossed it to her and she easily caught it. She spun it around and closed her eyes trying to remember. And for a brief moment, she did remember something.... about using a vision so that he wouldn't worry... She opened her eyes and looked at the base of the staff. There it was... her own special insignia, her miniature signature... She grasped the staff to her and concentrated on her memories. She tried to remember. And slowly, a small wisp of a memory came to her...  
  
Xellos was surprised when he realized that Merlina was crying.  
  
"Hey, are you OK?" he asked as he walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Instead of answering, she turned to him and cried into him. Xellos stood rock still, unsure of what to do in such a situation. Merlina had never cried like this before him. Heck, she had never cried before him, period!  
  
He hugged her lightly, remembering all the lessons he had taken before on peer helping. He hugged her awkwardly, but he remembered that it didn't matter as long as he was there. Poor Merlina... she had just had her world turned upside down all over again. And once more, it was his fault. The first time was when her mother had died. Come to think of it, he had never figured out why or how? Maybe he should ask his mother if she was willing to tell him. All he remembered when he had walked down that fateful morning was Jera lying on the sofa, all pale and lifeless with her long red hair behind her in a mess. He had left before figuring out what had happened exactly. He had followed her and had caused her many problems, what with training him, helping him find a job, helping him learn how to live in the outside world with no servants. She had done so much for him, and it was because of him that she was caught by dragons. Of course, he helped her escape, and he had tagged along. She had allowed him to, as if humoring him. She probably had. That night before going in the temple, she had single-handedly caused such a huge ruckus in town, setting the whole place on fire. What had he done? Accused her of taking things too lightly. She had gotten mad at him and he had wanted to say sorry for that. He would have, but the next time he had seen her, Merlin had kidnapped her and he was left again. And now, he had finally found her and because of that, she was crying on him and wetting his shirt with her tears.  
  
"I'm sorry..." said Xellos softly. "I should have thought more. I assumed you were unhappy with the Mazoku, Merlina. I assumed that you would probably have hated it without asking you. There I go again. You know, I've been thinking. All those problems of yours... it's all because I'm so clumsy and..."  
  
"Don't say that..." said Merlina softly. She had finally stopped crying and had been listening to him. She got out of his small embrace and handed him his staff. She looked happier now, and she hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. We have to leave, now."  
  
"Huh?" asked Xellos. Merlina had begun putting things away and had run up the stairs. He hurriedly ran after her into her room. She was in there packing her bag. Everything was happening so fast...  
  
"Hurry up, Xellos!" she said. With a start, Xellos realized that Merlina was acting... well... like Merlina! "Well, I have to go. Do you want to join me?" She looked at him with curiosity.  
  
"What's happening?" he asked. And he, as usual, was acting as his normal clueless self. But he didn't mind too much. He'd follow her to the ends of the earth, he realized with a grin.  
  
"We've got to go. Grab your stuff." said Merlina. She finished packing some clothes into her bag and took out her watch. She looked at the time and cursed. "Hurry up!" He did as ordered, grabbing his stuff and putting on his cloak. He put his staff away within the confines of his cloak and ran after her. She was in another room now. It was the same size and it also had a bed. With a start, he realized that this was Jera's room. He watched Merlina grab a few books and scrolls from the bookcase in the room and then grab pads and pads of notes. Those she hurriedly stuffed into her bag. With a start, he realized that she was stuffing into the bag more than should have been allowed...  
  
"How...?" he started. Merlina looked up.  
  
"...can I fit so much into it?" she finished for him with a smile. "That, is a secret!" He had to smile and laugh at that. She looked at him and slowly joined his laugh also. "Yeah.. I'll tell ya later. Meet me downstairs. You're talismans are on the counter. Be sure to get them." He ran down and did as told. She joined him in two minutes, her hair rapidly brushed, and her black cloak flapping all over the place. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the house. She looked at the sky and frowned. It still looked a bit sunny, but the sun was setting and Merlin or Mesphisel would be here soon to take her to Zelas. Well, she wasn't planning on waiting for them.  
  
"Ray wing!" she cried. Xellos cast his own Levitation spell and flew after her.  
  
"Where are we going?" he asked.  
  
"Far from here!" she said. Then she stopped and looked at him. "By the way, did you have anything to do before we go? I'm sorry. I forgot to ask." Xellos thought a bit and realized that he had forgotten about something.  
  
"Actually, I do." he said. Merlina nodded.  
  
"Go to it. I'll meet you at the school in 10 minutes." she said. He nodded and quickly flew off in the direction of his mother's home. He should at least tell her good bye or something like that.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina was sitting down on one of the swings in the school swing set. The sun was setting... where was Xellos? They'd be here soon and she didn't want them to find her. As she had walked about and grabbed stuff in the house, something had occurred to her. All of a sudden, small memories came leaking back, always slowly but they came. Sometimes she found herself smiling and sometimes, she was shocked. But usually, her memories were pleasant memories, especially of the time she and Xellos had traveled all over the place. How could she have forgotten such times? Someone had tampered with her mind. What for? Well, she'd figure it out. Seeing that no one was around, she dug into her pocket and pulled out the letter that Mrs. Kyuzan had given her. She remembered being shocked on seeing her be the messenger. More memories of her came. All the times she had come to the witches house talking about some private business. It hadn't been that strange to her. Many of the town's prominent ladies who looked down on 'witchcraft' had visited her mother many times. Hypocrites! The whole lot of them! She opened the letter and read it. She had regained her human part. It was like in dealing with the summoning. As a Mazoku, she would have followed the summoning. But, as a human, she had been able to rebel. As a Mazoku, she had obeyed Zelas and let her toy around with her. But now that she had recovered her human part, all her memories, she once more could rebel. And she would. How dare Zelas do this? She scanned the letter, read it carefully and then angrily stuffed it into her pocket. Many of life's horrid truths were detailed in the letter. She'd have to think of something later. Once Xellos and her were out of here. She took out her watch. Xellos was taking too long. Merlin was always on time. She had five minutes to find him. With a determined look on her face, she headed towards his home.  
  
*****  
  
"I'm home." he said as he announced himself into the house. His mother appeared from the study and smiled at him.  
  
"Oh, Xellos! How was your little walk?" she asked. "I hope it was OK. Take of your cloak, supper will be ready soon. Oh, and I can't wait to tell you all the news I have!" She smiled at him and ushered him to the living room.  
  
"Mother, I need to tell you something." he said, but she ignored him.  
  
"Oh, and I had cook make your favorite!" she said with a smile as she clapped for the servants to set the table. "Besides, today I talked with my friend, Mrs. Terrish, and she was absolutely delighted with the idea that you would tutor her daughter."  
  
"Mother... please listen to me!" said Xellos. He stood up. "I'm leaving. Right now. I wanted to say good bye before going this time."  
  
"What?" she asked. "Xellos, you can't leave now!" Her eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to leave?"  
  
"I have other engagements." said Xellos as he left the room. She ran after him.  
  
"Xellos, as your mother, I demand to know why you are leaving right now!" she said angrily, all traces of her happiness leaving her face.  
  
"Mother, I'm old enough to take care of myself." said Xellos. He went into the kitchen and told the cook that he wouldn't be eating.  
  
"Yes he will!" said his mother. Xellos sighed.  
  
"No, I won't. Go ahead and cook it if you want, but it will be a waste since I'm not planning on eating it. Good bye." He went out of the kitchen and made it to the door.  
  
"Xellos! Come back here right now, young man!" shouted his mother.  
  
"Mother... I'm not. See you around." he said. He opened the door and ran out, bumping into Merlina who was running up the stairs to his house. "Oh, hi Merlina! I was just leaving."  
  
"You!!!" shouted Mrs. Kyuzan as she caught sight of Merlina. "Get out of here!"  
  
"I was just leaving, Mrs. Kyuzan." said Merlina coldly. Xellos followed her.  
  
"Xellos! What are you doing? What is the meaning of this?" asked his mother. Xellos grinned at her in the same way Merlina had grinned at him before.  
  
"That, my dear mother, is a secret." he said. The two casted Raywing and left the house. She slumped against the door and walked in. She opened the liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink. After about 10 minutes, she felt him come in.  
  
"I passed the message," she told to the shadow.  
  
"Good." said a melodious voice. "And how is your son? I heard some people say he was around."  
  
"He left." she said dully. The figure also left, leaving her alone in the room. She sighed, locked the cabinet and went upstairs to rest.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter 12  
  
  
  
Hi!!!! This is one of my longer chapters, I will admit! Anyway... how are all of you doing? I hope you're all fine! Sorry for the extremely long wait. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I had fun writing it. Anyway... the plot thickens some more. More concerning Merlina's reaction later when she talks to Xellos. Right now, it is only her immediate reactions. Her deeper ones will soon be revealed. (around next chapter...) Xellos also reveals some thoughts. What was in that letter? Sore wa himitsu desu. More concerning that soon. Same thing with the mysterious guy at the end of the chapter.  
  
Anyway, thank you for all your encouragement. Please drop a review for this poor little authoress. Please? It's always so nice and encouraging to see your notes on the story. Thank you so much for reading this!  
  
  
  
Take care!  
  
  
Hotaru 


	13. Chapter 13

Once Upon a Time  
  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: Xellos aint mine. (tis such a pity) Zelas aint mine. (oh well... you can't have everything in life) and any other names copyrighted by the Slayers crew aint mine either.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
They had begun flying as fast as they could, heading due west. After a few minutes though, Merlina had glanced up, frowned and immediatly dropped to the forest below. Xellos hurriedly followed after her, dampening his aura like she was doing with hers. They landed on a small clearing.  
  
"What happened?" asked Xellos. He was quite proud to note that he wasn't panting or anything like that. He was stronger now. Merlina looked around, closed her eyes and concentrated. Then her ruby eyes snapped open.  
  
"We have to keep on going." she said as she started to walk into the forest.  
  
"What's happening?" he asked as he followed her.  
  
"Later." she said, her eyes roving all over their surroundings. It was a dense forest and for a while, they were quiet, concentrating on getting around trees, logs, stumps and other patches of forestry. As they walked, Xellos's mind began to wander. He had noticed that he was an extremely deep thinker and was always meditating on something. Well, now, he was meditating on what they were doing. There was no doubt in his being concerning the question of whether to follow Merlina or not. He would, period. But he wanted to know what was happening. Merlina had looked worried as they had flown and now, she looked alert and her muscles were tensed, ready to either flee or fight. He should too, but since he didn't even know what was the problem, he had no idea what to look out for. He took out his black staff. It was a handy thing. So far, there wasn't even a scratch on it. The material Merlina had chosen had been extremely sturdy and hard. It also made a good walking stick and something to prod things about with. As he walked, he began to relax some more. Merlina was about a meter and a half ahead, and she was keeping an eye on everything. Xellos looked at her from behind. After months of not seeing her, he was surprised at how she looked now. He had grown taller than she was, but she still radiated the aura of being in total control that made her seem bigger than she was. Her brilliant red hair was long again, and was put back in a loose braid, a few strands of hair flying about her. She was also, he realized, dampening her aura more and more, but in a gradual fashion.  
  
"Hey, Merlina?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked back without stopping or looking back. He hurried up to catch up with her.  
  
"Can you tell me..." he started.  
  
"..what's going on?" she finished for him.  
  
"Yeah, that." he said exasperatedly. It was fun... but after some time... one really wanted to finish the sentences that one started.  
  
"Long or short version?" she asked him. She jumped over a small creek and he followed suit.  
  
"Um... I guess short cause to my unexperienced eye, it seems as if we're on the run." said Xellos.  
  
"Well, then your eye isn't as unexperienced as you think." said Merlina.  
  
"So, tell me?" he asked. He hurried and was soon hiking right beside her.  
  
"OK." she said. Then she turned to him and grinned. "After all, you've been patient enough."  
  
"Thanks..." said Xellos. He thought a bit and then narrowed his eyes. "You were just testing me???"  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina, unashamed. She laughed at him for a bit. "I know... I know.... I shouldn't do that. But it's so fun!" He hit her on the head.  
  
"Gosh... and here I am, all worried about you." he said, grumbling in annoyance. Merlina laughed since she could tell that he was just acting wounded.  
  
"Hey... OK, I'm telling ya now, so pay attention." she said. She grabbed his hand and looked at him. He grinned at her.  
  
"You better." he said. "Perhaps you could totally joke around and leave the old Xellos clueless before... but not anymore."  
  
"OK." said Merlina. "Sorry. Forgive me?"  
  
"Sure, sure, sure." he said dismissively. She laughed softly and he laughed a bit also. She then got serious and started to speak in a serious voice.  
  
"Right now, Zelas Beastmaster is probably sending her servants for my hide since I'm disobeying her orders. So be on guard. There will be some Mazoku after me, even though they know that I can beat most of the lesser demons they send after me. Which, of course, means that we are on the run." she stated. Xellos looked at her with astonishment in his eyes.  
  
"Lady Beastmaster???" he asked. "You worked under her?"  
  
"What did you expect?" asked Merlina as she looked at him. Then she realized that he had no idea what to expect since she hadn't told him anything. "OK... as far as I can make it out.... I was taken by Merlin, and the Mazoku probably tampered up here for a bit." She pointed to her head. "Anyway, for a few months, Zelas and I were actually best of budies!" Xellos froze.  
  
"You... you..." he started.  
  
"Yup!" she said wtih a humorless grin on her face. "Me, Merlina Quertwen, half human/half mazoku, best friends with Zelas."  
  
"OK..." he said hesitantly, allowing her to continue.  
  
"Anyway... I was soon bored of staying with her and chatting with her all the time and convinced her to let me do something, so I basically played secret spy for her." continued Merlina. "I was allowed to hang about, buy desserts and all that, as long as I told her about the movement of the dragons in that specific area. They even allowed me to play around with magic, and I learned a few neat tricks!"  
  
"You're saying that... you voluntarily worked under Zelas?" asked Xellos, looking surprised.  
  
"Don't be stupid!" exclaimed Merlina. She rolled her eyes and then spoke in a type of chanting voice. "I was brainwashed, remember? Of course I did! I had nothing else to do! I forgot everything about myself. All I thought I knew was that I had been searching for my father to join him."  
  
"Ok, OK, I believe you." said Xellos. "It just seemed..."  
  
"...incredible?" asked Merlina. He nodded. "Now that I think about it... yeah...."  
  
"So, that is why you didn't remember me?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina. "Although I still don't see why do that."  
  
"Had you remembered me, then you probably wouldn't have stayed under their power long since you would probably begin wondering where I was or something." said Xellos. "I don't know... it's just a guess." Merlina thought a bit, cocking her head to the side as she ruminated over what he said.  
  
"You know.. I think you have a point there. I would have demanded in knowing where you were. And they'd have to make up an even bigger story. Not that it'd be too hard for them... but oh well..." she said. She stopped a bit and reached into her bag for an apple that she had gotten while in town. She flicked her wrist and a dagger shot out of her sleave. Xellos jumped with surprise.  
  
"Nice trick, huh?" she asked with a smile. She parted the apple and gave half to Xellos. "Here. Have some. It's getting late so we should look for a place to camp." But Xellos only heard the first part.  
  
"How did you do that?" he asked, his voiced amazed. Merlina had to laugh a bit. "What?" he asked indignantly.  
  
"You're really funny, you know?" she said. Then she grinned at him. "OK, I'll teach you..." She didn't finish the sentence since she all of a sudden reached into her cape and drew out two of his talismans. She tossed him her half of her apple and clasped the two talismans. "Shield!" she cried and threw it at Xellos, along with her bag, her half apple, and her cape. He was about to ask her what was happening when he too sensed something different. He tried to get to where Merlina was, but the shield wouldn't let him leave.  
  
Meanwhile, Merlina had flipped out of the way of an incoming blast of black magic.  
  
"Merlina, watch out!" shouted Xellos as he saw another coming at her from another direction. She nimbly flipped over it and with out breaking sweat, threw two dark bolts of magic back at where ever the magic had come from. There was a shrill scream from one of the attackers as a lower Mazoku fell out of a tree and phased out. The other had jumped out of the way and shot another beam at Merlina. She easily blocked it by spinning her staff to form a shield. With another twirl, she pointed the orb at the enemy, concentrated and fired a beam of pulsating, blood red fire at it. The mazoku tried to get out of the way, but Merlina's aim was true and her reaction had been quick. The Mazoku was dead. She stopped and wiped her brow and then turned around to face another part of the forest, her hands holding her staff in a ready position. Meanwhile, Xellos was trying to get out to help her. He tried every type of magic break spell, but none worked on the stubborn shield that Merlina had put up. Sure, the talismans re inforced the magic that bound him and protected him, but surely it wasn't that hard to break! He closed his eyes and tried again and again...  
  
Meanwhile, Merlina was testing the field she was in. It was a small clearing and they were surrounded by woods. She absentmindedly noted that Xellos was struggling against the shield she had thrown around him. After making sure that there was nothing else around them, she undid the spell and let him go.  
  
"What was that?" asked Xellos as he got out. He passed her her things.  
  
"Mazoku." said Merlina grimly as she looked around. "But lesser demons. She's toying around with me."  
  
"She?... Oh.. you mean... Beastmaster?" asked Xellos as he too took up a defensive position.  
  
After a while, Merlina relaxed her guard.  
  
"We'll be fine for a while." said Merlina. She took her apple and although it was a bit dusty, she wiped off some dust and took a huge bite. "The only ones who can actually pose a threat to me are the Priest and General. We should be able to deal with the others just fine." She walked into the forest once more with Xellos following her, not noticing the small piece of paper that had fallen from her cloak.  
  
*****  
  
"Shouldn't we go after her?" asked Mesphisel.  
  
"You know Zelas's orders." said Merlin. His blood red eyes were guarded and cold. Had anyone looked at them, they would have remarked on the striking similarity between them. They were physically different, although they were the same height. Mesphisel, the Priest, had a leaner build to him while Merlin was a bit stockier. Their hair was different, as were there eyes and their other facial characteristics. But the expression in there faces were exactly the same. Cold, heartless, cruel and calculating. Merlin picked up the paper that Merlina had dropped.  
  
"Well, we have the note." he said.  
  
"Let's go back, then." said Mesphisel. Merlin nodded and they both winked out of existance from their hiding place in the trees. Merlina hadn't been able to tell that they were there.  
  
*****  
  
"What do you want?" asked a voice. Mrs. Kyuzan took a deep breath.  
  
"They fell for the trick." she said. The Dragon elder before her had to smile at that.  
  
"Zelas depends on her little spies too much." he said. "That is good. She will get the note and everything will work out fine. Good job, Kyuzan."  
  
"Thank you, elder." said the lady. She had changed clothes and was wearing the plain white tunic of those who affiliated themselves with the Dragons.  
  
"Zelas will have wished to never have messed with us." continued the Dragon elder. "But I have heard something from your co worker. How is your son? He said that Xellos has finally returned to us. Is he ready to become one of us?"  
  
"He left." said Mrs. Kyuzan. "Elder, if I may voice an opinion... I think that Zelas has suspiciouns concerning him. He has been travelling with Merlina, the half Mazoku girl."  
  
"Hm... this does bear some concideration." said the elder. "Does he enjoy this... Merlina's company? We have her on file, and we have put a warning to beware the Merlina girl."  
  
"It is my opinion that he has been mislead." said Kyuzan. "I believe that it is all that Merlina's fault. She should be taken care of quickly."  
  
"To catch and kill her would constitute as an act of war against the Mazoku. We must at least keep up this pretense of peace." he said.  
  
"But they have taken Xellos. It is like an act that would constitute war." protested Kyuzan. The elder thought a bit.  
  
"I will take this up with the council of Dragons." he said. "Until then, good job. You have done well in informing us of these new incidents. You are dismissed." he said. She smiled and bowed before leaving the room.  
  
*****  
  
Amidst all these plannings that were going on, the two teens were in their camp. Xellos was taking first watch. Their little fire had died out and all that was left were a few glowing embers. Xellos carefully blew on it to get them to light up before adding in a few twigs. Merlina was sleeping close to the fire, curled up peacefully. The small dancing fire played with the dark shadows of her hair so that it looked like her hair was alive and dancing in tune with the fire. Xellos sat across the fire from her, sitting on a log 'bench'. He held his staff in his hands and had made a small pouch that now held the talismans he had made. Most were amplyfing talismans that would increase the magical power of a spell cast through it. Seeing Merlina increase her shield's power with his talismans made him realize just how powerful they were. He took them out and gently played with them, charging them up so that the next time they were used, they'd be even stronger.  
  
Night watch was boring. There were hardly any sounds coming from nature except for a few night birds calling each other here and there. What he had for company was basically the crackling fire and Merlina's soft breathing. His mind wandered as he put the talismans away.  
  
There probably was a way to keep the talismans charged so that they would be even stronger the whole time. He just had to think of someway of doing it. Something like Merlina's staff with the orb. He had seen how the staff amplified power. If he could study it... He'd ask her later. His mind wandered again.  
  
They had eaten some meat that Merlina had bought at the town they had just escaped. Store bought meat was rare, so they decided to eat it before it got bad. They'd end up eating more game as they traveled. Well, at least until they got to a city or town. Merlina had told him brief sketches of what she had been doing and of her experiences with Zelas. He suspected that it was so that in case she ever forgot again, he could try to remind her. He smiled sadly at her. She had gone through a lot. She had said that she had started on this quest to ask her father about her mother and her mysterious death. Those were her mother's wishes when Merlina had woken up that fateful day and had realized that her mother was dead. But she had gotten nowhere. She had even totally forgotten about it when she was with Zelas.  
  
The fire crackled softly as the moon went on it's way. The world was changing, thought Xellos, but everything continues on, as if nothing mattered. What would become of them? But he'd be by Merlina and help her through it, no matter what.  
  
*****  
  
The next day, Merlina woke up Xellos quite early.  
  
"Wake up." she said as she shook his shoulder roughly. "Breakfast is ready. Eat up quick. We should get moving as soon as possible."  
  
"OK..." grumbled Xellos. He slowly got up, yawned and rubbed his eyes. "So... where are we going?" he asked as he blinked sleepily about him. Merlina stopped. She had been starting to break up camp. Her pack and cloak were neatly to one side, ready for travelling. Xellos's were beside his sleeping bag and could be stuffed into his pack if need be.  
  
"You know what?" she asked him with a small smile. "I have no idea... all day long, I've been wanting to get moving, but I have no idea where to."  
  
Xellos sweatdropped. "No idea?" he asked. She shook her head. "How about what you planned on doing. Come on... you must have had a plan, right?"  
  
"Um.... jeje...." Merlina said intelligently. She scratched her head a bit. "You know.... I never thought that far." Xellos raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"And you woke me up so early in the morning?" he asked. Merlina laughed at that. He frowned. Mornings were not his thing.  
  
"I'm sorry..." said Merlina, trying to control her laughter. "It's just that I just realized that I have no earthly idea on what to do! It's the first time this has happened to me!" She sat down on a log and thought a bit. After a few moments, she sighed. "I don't know." She looked so forlorn and down that Xellos couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Hey, it's not funny!"  
  
"I know..." said Xellos. He got up and fixed his clothes. "Here, we can think about it while we break up camp. Hopefully, by then we will be able to have thought of something."  
  
By the time they did finish, Merlina had thought of something. She suddenly remembered the note that she had gotten. She checked all her pockets, but to her surprise, couldn't find it.  
  
"What are you looking for?" asked Xellos. It looked very interesting, Merlina turning inside out all her pockets. He never knew her cape had so many hidden pockets!  
  
"A note..." said Merlina. She bit her lip worriedly. "Oh well... it's OK, I still remember what it said."  
  
"What note?" asked Xellos, feeling curious. Merlina hesitated for a bit. How should she tell him? She decided to tell him but to omit the part concerning his mother.  
  
"Zelas told me to get a message for her from a spy. The spy came to my house a few hours before you came and handed me the note. I read it while you were saying good bye to your mother." she said. She was quite pleased with herself since it sounded very plausible and Xellos would probably buy it. He did.  
  
"Oh... and what did it say?" he asked, getting very interested.  
  
"Well.... this is the weird part." said Merlina. "To me... it looks like... well... you tell me. The note said that the meeting was ready. It will happen in two weeks in the outskirts of Zephyria. Close to where we are."  
  
"The meeting between Zelas and...?" asked Xellos waiting for her to finish his sentance.  
  
"It looks like.... between Zelas and... the Dragons." said Merlina.  
  
"WHAT?" asked Xellos. "That can't be!"  
  
"But it was... well, it looked like it." said Merlina. "It even had the official Dragon seal and everything."  
  
"How do you know what the Dragon seal looks like?" asked Xellos, looking at her suspiciously through lidded eyes. Merlina blushed a bit and grinned awkwardly.  
  
"Um... I know it..." she started out. Then she brightened up. Xellos recognized the look and groaned. "Well... that, is a secret!"  
  
"OK." said Xellos. "I'll trust you, for now."  
  
"Good." said Merlina. "You should. Anyway... what do you think?"  
  
"What do I think?" asked Xellos. "All that I think is that this is crazy and stupid. I can't believe this is happening! Everyone has secrets to hide from everyone else, and everyone is scheming against everyone else. Who knows why Zelas is going to meet with the Dragons. Who knows why they'll meet with her! Who knows how it all started!?" Merlina began to regard him with a bit of worry in her eyes. He was starting to sound a bit... off.  
  
"Hm... are you OK?" she asked him softly.  
  
"NO! I'M NOT OK!" he shouted to the world at large. Then, noticing that he had just shouted, he quieted down and looked sheepishly at her. "Sorry..."  
  
"It's OK," said Merlina. She sat beside him and patted his shoulder. "I know it's a lot of information. You can let it out. If you want, we can talk about it." Xellos nodded. Merlina hugged him softly, not knowing how to react to a stressed Xellos. He just hugged her back and rested against her. Merlina looked off into the middle of nowhere and gently rubbed his shoulders, not knowing what in the world was going to happen to them next.  
  
*****  
  
After a few minutes, Xellos awkwardly got up. Merlina stood up also, and tried to pretend that her face was not bright red and picked up her stuff.  
  
"Come on." she said, facing away from him. Xellos was relieved. She wouldn't see his burning cheeks. "We have two weeks to train, get information and come up with a plan." With staff in hand, she walked off in the direction to the nearest town.  
  
"Um... but... isn't the meeting ground supposed to be somewhere here?" asked Xellos as he put on his pack, cloak and then picked up his staff.  
  
"Yes." said Merlina. "We will be back in about a week to scout the terrain and listen to the gossip in town."  
  
"So, what do we do meanwhile?" asked Xellos. Merlina stopped. As soon as she could tell that her cheeks weren't burning anymore, she turned around and looked him straight in the face. "We train."  
  
*****  
  
A black shadow ran through the branches of the trees and then jumped off. Another shadow quickly ran after it and did the same. The first figure stopped in mid air and summoned up a ball of magic which was thrown at the second one. The second one dodged and retaliated with one of their own. But the first figure wasn't there anymore. The second shadow barely avoided the first ones attack from right beneath him. The second one took out a staff and flew after the first shadow. Said first shadow halted in mid air again and flew back down, their staff out. The second shadow hurriedly ducked and took out their own staff, trying to hit the other staff away. The two figures began to fight with their staffs, looking for holes and weaknesses in the other's defense. Suddenly, the two jumped out of the way and bowed to each other. The shadow with longer hair smiled at the other.  
  
"Nice work out." she said.  
  
"Thanks, you too!" he said. Merlina grinned.  
  
"You've gotten better. Been training in my absence, huh?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah... can't afford to get soft." said Xellos.  
  
"That's good to know." said Merlina. "Take a break. We'll practice magic in a bit." She leaned against a tree and rested a bit. She closed her eyes and felt the tranquility of the place. Today was the first day of the 14 days they had till the meeting took place. There were a few holes in Xellos's defense, but nothing they couldn't fix. Magic, though, was worrying her. She knew Xellos could handle himself in a physical fight. She had trained him very well. But with magic... the last time she had seen him fight with magic... well... he wasn't very good at casting black magic offensive spells. But he knew many shield and cure type of spells, and that was extremely valuable to her. But it would be hard to take on both the dragons and the demons. Well, first, she'd check his level. Then, she would think of what to do.  
  
*****  
  
Thirty minutes later, Merlina looked wide-eyed at Xellos and at the area before them. They had begun their 'magic practice' 25 minutes ago, and right now, their field was pretty much trashed. She had started out easy on him, launching a volley of fireballs at him. Xellos had just smiled, set up a barrier before him made of wind that knocked her fireballs of course and launched them back at her. Merlina smiled and upped her attacks. To her amazement, he had managed to block them. She backflipped away to get some space when all of a sudden, the earth under her hands crumbled away, leaving behind a deep hole. She gasped, and cast a levitation just in time to keep from falling in. She looked at Xellos, amazement in her eyes. He waved at her with a grin on his face, and then moved his hands around, summoning a wind attack. Merlina braced herself against the wind. It was harder to fight against the wind while you were in air since there was nothing to push against. Finally, she let herself be pushed back a bit, landed beside the hole, and threw out a beam of fiery red light at him. He casually jumped out of the way, and got another spell ready, dropping the wind one. Merlina grinned, and this time shot an arrow of fire. She then altered her trajectory and fired off a volley of ice arrows. Xellos summoned up a wind barrier, and once more, the fight began.  
  
After an hour, the two decided to take a break.  
  
"That was a good work out." said Merlina as she wiped her red sweaty bangs away from her hair with the back of her hand. She slumped against a handy tree that happened to be there. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Xellos, too, was very tired and he collapsed on a fallen over tree trunk, courtesy of one of his own very sharp wind attacks. As he sat down and brushed his bangs away, he looked at Merlina and couldn't help but think how much he'd like a portrait of her resting like that. Her guard was mostly down, and she was tired, but she looked relaxed and content.  
  
In Merlina's view, she had every right to be relaxed and content. For one, they had a good work out, and she was confident in Xellos's skills. There was some polishing to do, both in magic and hand to hand, but so little. She knew that his magical attack repertoire was bigger than what he just showed her, and that was good. What she had seen was very good.  
  
"You're right." said Xellos. After a while, he asked her a question. "What grade do I get?"  
  
"Eight point five out of ten." said Merlina promptly.  
  
"Just that?" complained Xellos playfully. "Why don't I get a full blown nine?"  
  
"Cause I'm the teacher and I say so." said Merlina. She smiled. Xellos raised an eyebrow and then tossed a bunch of leaves in her direction. "Hey!" she exclaimed, looking at him with the evil eye. Her efforts to look serious failed due to the small fact that one can't look very evil when they have dry leaves all over their hair and clothes in outrageous positions. Xellos fell over laughing.  
  
"You look.... really silly!" he said in between laughs.  
  
"Oh, so I'm silly, huh? And I can't look serious, huh? Well, take this!" said Merlina with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Diem Wind!" A small blast of air flew from her hands, picking up many leaves from the surroudings and dumping them on Xellos.  
  
"Hey!" cried Xellos indignantly as he poked his head from the stack of leaves he was in. "You used magic! No fair!"  
  
"Says who?" asked Merlina, a superior smirk on her face.  
  
"I do, and you're going to get it now!" he warned her as he summoned his own wind attack. And the leave fight was on.  
  
*****  
  
That night, they spent it in a small village that was fifteen minutes flying at high speed. Merlina used it as an excuse to train Xellos's magic resistance. The real reason was quite simple. She wanted to fly very fast and have a contest. To her chagrin, he was just as fast as she was, if not faster. But what she lacked in speed, she made up in stamina, so in the end they got there at the same time.  
  
They entered a small restaurant and proceeded to eat everything in sight. Well, Xellos did so while Merlina ate about half of what Xellos ate.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" he asked her as he watched her quickly drink up her second bowl of soup. He was on his third.  
  
"I am, but I don't have to eat that much now." said Merlina with a small smile. "You, on the other hand, just went through tons of training at one point in time. While you no doubt trained before, I'm going to train you even harder and have you teach me a few tricks. That requires more energy than you have. I have a steady supply of energy still." Xellos puzzled about it as he dipped his bread into his next bowl of soup.  
  
"Is it because you're a Mazoku? I mean, half of one?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah." said Merlina. "It's one of the upsides that comes with not being pure. I can have a higher stamina than most because of it, but because I'm only half Mazoku, I will run out at one point in time. But until then, I'm powerful." She grinned cheekily, and to get Xellos to stop worrying, she stole from right under his fingers the next roll. Which, of course, caused various events to happen. Mainly, Xellos's eyes widened, then lowered as he glared at her and then politely called a waiter and ordered another roll. Merlina smiled and ate up the roll.  
  
Later on, in their room, Xellos asked to see her staff.  
  
"What for?" she asked. She was on her bed and reached her arm over and grabbed her staff that laid propped against her bed.  
  
"I wanted to check it out." he said. She tossed it to him. Xellos, who was in the next bed reached his arm out to grab it. "I've never seen one like it before..."  
  
"Of course not!" said Merlina. "It's unique. Mazoku staffs are special, you know."  
  
"In what way?" asked Xellos as he studied the small wisp of red inside the otherwise crystal clear gem. He was pretty sure it used to be perfectly clear. Not that Merlina had let him look at it back then, but he did remember a few things...  
  
"Well,... for example, the jewel is very important." said Merlina. With that, she launched into an explanation. "First of all, Mazoku gems are very precious and powerful. They are not like you're normal magical talismans. They are refined from various things. For example, tears, blood, eyes, hearts..." Xellos made a face at this and Merlina laughed. "I know, it sounds grizzly. But that's how it's done. The more powerful the one you get them from, the more efficient it is."  
  
"What is this one made of?" asked Xellos. He stroked the gem, and to his amazement, the gem twinkled slightly under his touch. "What happened?"  
  
"Huh?" asked Merlina as she rolled over to face him. She had been staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Watch." said Xellos. He carefully touched the gem, and once more, a brief flash of light coming from the middle of the gem met with his fingers.  
  
"I didn't know it would happen to you too!" said Merlina. She concentrated and levitated the staff over to where she was. She carefully caressed it, and the gem pulsed with light. "I thought it would only do that with its owners..." Xellos watched the light show that the staff emitted. "Looks cool, huh?"  
  
"Yeah." said Xellos. "Anyway... what is this one made of?"  
  
"This one is made of blood from a demon." said Merlina as she twirled the staff. "Merlin told me that he was a very powerful demon. As a matter of fact, it was the blood from the former Priest of Zelas. He was very strong, and had dreams of grandeur and glory. Zelas delt with him. To prevent a perfect waste, she refined his blood into a crystal clear jewel."  
  
"So, why isn't it crystal clear now?" asked Xellos. Merlina's absent twirling grinded to a halt. Her face had an unreadable expression in her eyes.  
  
"Because... I..." she trailed off, not completing the sentance. "I... used it wrong." She finished her sentance in a hushed voice. Xellos froze as his eyes widened. He hadn't known that it the conversation would turn back to.... her time as a Mazoku. He had to face it. It looked like she had, or at least was trying to. He had seen Merlina fight. Merlina as a Mazoku would have been even fiercer... and meaner.  
  
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." started Xellos awkwardly.  
  
"No, it's OK. I... yeah... It was my fault." said Merlina. She stroked it again, watching the light display. "I mean... I know I wasn't me when I was with Zelas, but sometimes, I wonder... maybe that is what I wanted... Afterall, I knew my dad was a Mazoku, yet I still searched for him. I don't know what came over me..."  
  
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." said Xellos as he rolled over and looked at her.  
  
"Thanks Xellos." she said. "You know something? You're cool. Thanks a lot." With that, she burrowed under her covers and fell asleep.  
  
End of Chapter 13  
  
Notes...  
  
I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!!!!!! Anyway,... I'm so mega sorry for updating this story so slooooooowly. I know, I'm at fault, and I want to thank you for being patient. To give a brief synopsis of my excuse... life got hard and I found myself worrying of other things instead of writing. I know, that is very evil and sinful of me. *smile* Thankyou for all your patience and encouragement. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Next chapter, Merlina and Xellos have laid their plans and wait for the fateful meating to happen. What will occur then? BTW, the next chapters will come out much, MUCH faster. Promise!  
  
Hotaru 


	14. Chapter 14

Once Upon a Time  
  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine... but if anyone wants to donate them to me... I'd be most glad! *grin*  
  
Chapter 14  
  
The two weeks passed rapidly for the two teenagers. But not rapidly enough that they had no time to pracitce and increase their skills. A lot can happen in two weeks, after all.  
  
At the end of the first week, Merlina and Xellos made their way back to Zephyria. They had practiced all that they could and now, they could only wait and gather more information concerning the meeting. During that time, many things had occured.  
  
For example, Xellos gained access to Merlina's copious notes on magic of all types and had eagerly read through most of her scrawls. Merlina let him read and learn. After all, the more he knew, the better off they'd be. Besides, he really wanted to learn how to make better talismans. In her eyes, he relied too much on his talismans, but she couldn't deny that they were very well done and that they helped. A lot.  
  
"What are you looking for?" asked Merlina at times as she curiously watched him read through the manuscripts.  
  
"Sore wa himitsu desu." said Xellos, parroting back at her that phrase he loved so much. Well, not loved... perhaps... tolerated. Well, whatever his sentiments toward that phrase, Lina seemed to crack up whenever he said it to her. "Actually, I'm just trying to learn everything I can." He grinned at her and she grinned back.  
  
Finally, though, the day of the meeting had come.  
  
They woke up early and had a good breakfast. The past two weeks had fixed them up a bit, and although for most people, two weeks of workout wasn't enough to change anything, two weeks of continous physical and magical work out had quickened their speed and increased their stamina by quite a bit.  
  
"You know, it's amazing that we've learned so much in two weeks." said Xellos. He was taking a slight pause in eating. Merlina could tell that he was nervous. He had ordered less food today. Some part of her wondered at their switched roles. Once upon a time, some time ago, she would be the one eating so much. Now,... she was changed, and Xellos was too. In her eyes, he had changed for the best. Gone was the shy, unsure and pompous idiot he used to be. In his place was a young man radiating confidence in himself. He wasn't as prejudiced and he had seen more of the world than he ever thought he would. She smiled. Oh, and he looked cuter. Of course. That went without saying. And then, she paid attention to what he was saying to stop her train of thought. "I can't help but wonder... they will have trained also."  
  
"They are powerful," said Merlina. "And I don't doubt that they are stronger than we know. Even when I was with Merlin and Mesphisel, they never showed me their true power. But they were strong enough without showing off."  
  
"So how are we supposed to win them?" asked Xellos. "I mean... maybe if we teamed up, we might have a chance taking care of either the Priest or the General. But... there are also Dragons involved."  
  
"We will have to attack them one by one, obviously." said Merlina. "The purpose of attending this meeting is not to break it up and fight. It's to know what is happening. I can't help but think that both sides are lying through their teeth. Peace between Dragons and Demons. Yeah right. Give me a break! I'm feeling that there will be an ambush. But we're fast, and we work well together. We can hit them in the confusion. Or we can wait for them to disperse and finish their 'peace' talks. I don't know. I'm not even sure what the point to all this is. All I know is that Zellas is out there looking for me." 'And that this is going to involve you.' she thought to herself. She had been trying to figure out what Xellos's mother's part in all this was.  
  
"Makes sense." said Xellos. He paid for their food. "Let's go." He gripped his black staff. The one that Lina had given him so long ago. It had not been chipped or nicked. He had asked her what type of material it was made off, but she had smiled and said that it was a secret. So he now just used it and was glad for such a strong weapon.  
  
*****  
  
'There they are.' They subconciously thought the same thing.  
  
The two teens crawled quietly through the forests and got as close as they dared to the meeting place. The woods had become strangely silent, with no bird singing and no woodland critters moving. Which meant that they had to be even more silent.  
  
In the clearing, there were few creatures. It was just a meeting. Each side had few people. However, from the Mazoku, only the General and the Priest were there. From the dragon side, there were two dragon elders, followed by their retinue of priests and warriors.  
  
"What is the purpose of calling this meeting?" asked Merlin. Mesphisel didn't like to talk much. Which was just fine be Merlin. He liked to talk. It put people... off.  
  
"To negotiate the new terms of peace." said one of the Dragon elders. Merlina recognized him. He was one of the dragon elders who had tried to sentance her. She smiled. She could feel the tension in the air.  
  
"Our mistress, Beastmaster Zelas, will hear your additions." said Merlin. He looked bored.  
  
"We wish for Zelas to retreat totally from the mortal world." said the Dragon elder. He raised his hand and brought it down, pointing at Merlin. "We will no longer deal with you!" A spell gathered at his fingers and shot out at Merlin.  
  
"How utterly boring," said Merlin. He waved his hands in a dismissing manner and blew the spell to the side, nearly hitting the place where the two were. Fortunately, the noice of the blast masked their exclamations. "But it is interesting, we don't want you around either." Mesphisel snapped his fingers and a huge blast hit the dragon's retinue. There were a few screams as the priests and warriors hurriedly raised shields, looking like soap bubbles in the morning light.  
  
"Yo, Lina?" asked Xellos as he got closer to her. "Mind if I call you that? Anyway,... what should we do now?"  
  
"Um... I'd rather not." said Merlina. "That's what Merlin would call me. And..." She eyed the fight. The Mazoku and the Dragons were fighting with all their might. Each group had been planning an ambush, but neither seemed to have thought that the other team wanted an ambush also.  
  
Mesphisel moved eratically and no dragon was sure of where he was going to appear. Merlin remained stationary, his red eyes glowing. With a simple motion of his hands, individual dragons combusted with no warning. Although there were only two Mazoku as opposed to many, many dragons, the fight was even. For every dragon Merlin blew up or Mesphisel slashed, two more came to replace it.  
  
"You fight who you wish to." said Merlina finally. She had an odd glimmer to her eye. "I'm going to fight Merlin. If you can, see if you can keep them off my back."  
  
"Merlina, it really isn't too wise to.." started Xellos, but she had joined the fray.  
  
Merlin was bored. So he randomly chose two dragons that Mesphisel was fighting and slashed them apart with a flick of his wrist. Mesphisel glared at him before going after the next few. Suddenly, an attack came seemingly out of nowhere and almost hit him. 'Stupid dragons,' he thought, before he batted it away. Immediatly, another blast came at him from behind.  
  
"What?" he asked as he barely dodged it. He extended his senses trying to see who was attacking him. The dragon elder took advantage of his slight confusion and fired of more blasts at him. To his surprise, one of the blasts hit something before getting to him. There was an exclamation, and Merlina appeared out of nowhere and fell down.  
  
"Stupid dragon, watch where you throw those things!" she yelled at him before taking out her staff and running at Merlin.  
  
"Lina..." said Merlin, he dodged another blast by phasing out of the way and appearing beside her. "May I ask what you are doing here, young lady?"  
  
"AAAh!" exclaimed Merlina as she swung her staff and hit him in the gut accidentally. Then she narrowed her eyes. "Don't call me Lina, you monster!" She gathered her power, focusing it into her staff and shot it out. Merlin was forced to dodge again.  
  
"I take it you're not glad to see me, are you?" he asked. He cast another ball of fire at the dragon elder.  
  
"Focus on me!" cried Merlina.  
  
"You know I don't want to fight you." said Merlin. He materialized his own staff.  
  
"I don't care!" shouted Merlina. "You have a lot to answer for!" She focused and teleported right behind him, a ball of ice forming in her hand. She twirled the staff, trying to knock him off his feet. He jumped and just as Merlina threw the ball of fire, he teleported out of the way, hitting the dragon elder behind him.  
  
"Stop running away!" she screamed and then teleported to appear before him again.  
  
"I'd love to play, Lina-chan." said Merlin. "But I have a mission to do. And well... you used to know the importance of missions."  
  
"You're leaving me no choice." said Merlina. She reached within herself and drew out even more power into the staff. "Fight me!" She twirled the staff around and the power flew out like spears of light. Merline dodged a few of them, but one passed through his cloak, another burned his shoe and the third hit his hand.  
  
"Merlina! Watch out!" Merlina turned to the voice and eyes widened as she saw the dragon flying at them.  
  
*****  
  
A few moments ago, one of the dragon elders realized who the girl was.  
  
"It's the Mazoku brat!" he said, surprised. He motioned for a few of his warriors. "Get her. She's one of them also."  
  
"But she's just a slip of a girl!" said one of them.  
  
"She was sentanced, and escaped. We will not let her escape again." said the elder. They nodded, and flew up to her.  
  
"Stop right there!" said a masculine voice. Xellos threw up a wind attack and knocked them off course. "Leave her alone. You guys, will deal with me."  
  
"Hey, you're the child of Kyuzan..." one of them said.  
  
"We can't attack him..." said the other. They tried to fly around him, but Xellos wouldn't let them ignore him. He flew to one of them and shot a bolt of black magic into his stomach while whipping his staff around rapping the other on the head.  
  
"You know, he's annoying." said one of them.  
  
"We can always say we hurt him in self-defence." said the other.  
  
"Which would be true..." said the first one. And both turned on him and began attacking him in earnest. Xellos gritted his teeth as they both materialised their swords and flew at him from opposite sides. He flew out of the way and they veered to follow him. He ducked under one sword swing and brought his staff to knock aside the thrust from in front. He tightened his lips and threw out a clear crystal.  
  
"I don't have time for this." he said and chanted a barrier spell through it. The crystal glowed brightly and flew around him, using a modified wind spell. He smiled at their confusion and reached for another talisman. This one was a blood red one. He grinned at them. "Fire!"  
  
The gem ignited and flew from his hands straight at one of them. He sliced it in half with his sword. Xellos smiled and mouthed another spell. The two halves ignited and flew at him again, keeping one of them effectively busy since each time it was sliced, each half regenerated into two crystals. It was a good trick to use when you needed more talismans to sell. He turned to the other dragon, who had decided that the clear gem wasn't going to harm him, and was flying towards Merlina, sword in hand.  
  
"Merlina! Watch out!" Merlina turned to look and dodged the swipe that was supposed to cut off her arm.  
  
"Hey! I thought you said you'd keep 'em off of me!" she said. She appeared beside Xellos.  
  
"How are you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm doing fine. And you? I'm sorry, I was entertaining another." answered Xellos.   
  
"I'm OK. Merlin won't fight me." she said. "And Mesphisel is busy." And she spoke the truth. Merlin, on seeing that Merlina was safe, he went back to tearing apart dragons with his magic.  
  
"How about teaming up with me and finishing the dragon that's coming towards you?" asked Xellos.  
  
"Looks good. I'll deal with Merlin later." She smiled. "Are you sure you're up to it? I mean... I bet you might even know some of them." She dodged a swipe and absentmindedly twirled her staff, hitting him down with the jewel.  
  
"It's been years. 'sides, they are hurting you." said Xellos. He looked at the dragons. "Well, trying to."  
  
"Don't underestimate us." said a voice beside him. A sword came down and clanged against the crystal gem that was still flying around Xellos.  
  
"Go away. You can't win." said Xellos.  
  
"You can't either." said the Dragon as he flew back and fired a lightning bolt at them. Merlina laughed and this time, Xellos and she flew straight at the dragon.  
  
"Time to fight!" she said. The dragon quickly snapped on his own barrier spell just as two bolts of lightning were thrown at him. He laughed. They were only children. They wouldn't even touch him. Right before, he felt two staffs attacking him in tandem. He ducked under one swipe, just to be tripped in mid air by another staff. His barrior spell started to fade and he shot out a blast of fire in desesperation. It completely missed either of the two, but left him completely open. Two blasts of lightning blasted him from opposite directions, causing him to fall. Merlina twirled the staff in her hands and pointed it at his falling form.  
  
"Die." she said simply. A thin black spear of energy flew out and pierced him. She watched with some satisfaction as the dragon died.  
  
"Go ahead." she said to Xellos. "He may be a minor dragon, but his white magic will improve your barrior gem." Xellos looked at the Dragon, an unreadable look on his face.  
  
"We killed him." he said.  
  
"Correction. I killed him. You helped me knock him down. Big difference." said Merlina.  
  
"But..." started Xellos.  
  
"But nothing... he would have killed us if he had his way." she said. She turned around and fired a sickly green blast at another dragon flying towards them. She pursed her lips. More dragons were coming. And while she knew she had enough power to deal with them. She needed to keep an eye on Xellos also. She made up her mind. She grabbed the comatose Xellos and dragged him towards the earth. She grabbed one of his clear crystals and concentrated quickly on it. She didn't have too much time to add the power to the crystal.  
  
Suddenly, she was knocked aside by a blast of white magic. She gasped in pain, the crystal falling to the floor. She looked up and scowled at the lady in front of her.  
  
"What did you do to him?" she asked. Merlina recognized her.  
  
"How do you do, Mrs. Kyuzan?" asked Merlina, a jeer in her voice. "Didn't know you could fight?"  
  
"How dare you turn Xellos on to your side, you filthy Mazoku!" she glared and her lance flared with white magic. Merlina grinned and flipped her staff in a defensive position.  
  
"After you," she said, her eyes narrowing. She didn't honestly want to fight Xellos's mother. But she had to get him awake, and she had to get something done and then go fight her stupid father. Xellos's mother charged at her and swiped at her with her lance. She dodge, teleported behind her and tapped her on the back with her staff.  
  
"Sleep." she said and to her surprise, the spell bounced off, nearly getting her in the process. "What..."  
  
"Don't underestimate me girl. I'm years ahead of you." said Mrs. Kyuzan and she turned around and tried to pierce her heart with the tip. Merlina leaned back and kicked up her legs to intercept the lance. While on her hands, she concentrated and kicked the lance out of the lady's hands. As it fell, she grabbed it and threw it at the dragoness, nailing her cloak to the ground with her own weapon. She twirled her own staff and rapped her on the head to get her to go out cold. She succeeded. Magic was all well and good, but there were times when the mundane ways worked just as well. She finished charging up the crystal and chanted a barrier spell through it and threw it at Xellos. He seemed to be starting to get his wits about him.  
  
"Xellos, keep alert!" she shouted before she flew off and tried to get to Merlin to fight him again. Once again, the dragons got in her way. She glared at them.  
  
"Mazoku, you are being arrested for attempting to summon another Mazoku and for the murdering of a dragon. Also, you have attacked a high priestess. Your crimes will be answered for."  
  
"Ah, stuff it!" said Merlina. She grinned and teleported around them and began blasting them. She teleported again as various forms of magic flew at her. She sighed and took out one of her own gems. Xellos had taught her the value of a gem well placed. It was just that Xellos used too many of them. She smiled and cast it. It was snow white and she put it before her. Their magic attacks hit it and the crystal absorbed it, getting darker and darker in the process. She took out her staff again and flew into the fray. She shoved her staff into one dragon's gut and then grabbed his leg, twirling him around and throwing him at his companions. Everytime a magic attack was thrown at her, she concentrated and brought the crystal before her to absorb the magic. It was tiring to have to control it like this, but she wanted it to absorb as much as she could. Which is why she magically controlled it instead of just flying all around her with a circular wind spell. She smiled as it got even darker. She gasped as a she dodged a sword slice just a bit to slow and got a cut on her arm. She gritted her teeth and shot out a flare arrow in response. He dodged and the dragon behind her was about to stab her when it exploded. Merlina had no time to figure out what had happened but decided that her crystal was ready. She grabbed it from the air and threw it into the dragons.  
  
"Crystal burst!" she screamed, and all the stored up energy exploded, breaking her crystal in the process. The burst scattered the dragons, heavily wounding all of them, and killing a few.  
  
"Nice job." said a voice behind her. She turned around and glared at Merlin.  
  
"I'm still mad at you, you know." she said. She took out yet another crystal and cast barrier on it. With that she flew at him again.  
  
"What, no thank you? I'm sure I raised you with more manners than this, Lina-chan!" he said cheerfully. "Besides, had I not detonated that dragon just then, you wouldn't have been able to cast that pretty Crystal thing."  
  
"You didn't raise me at all!" she said. She swiped at him with her staff.  
  
"And besides, it's not nice to attack to me with my own staff." said Merlin. He tried to wrench it from her grasp.  
  
"It's mine. And keep your hands off it!" she said as she twisted it out of the way and then hid it. Her hand went to her belt and drew out her sword.  
  
"The Sword of Light, huh?" asked Merlin, a smile tugging at his lips. "Your mother sure prepared you well."  
  
"And speaking about her... why did you leave us?" The blade of light shot out and tried to chop off his leg.  
  
"Now, now... Lina-chan. I can't tell you everything. We Mazoku can't just do whatever we want, you know..." he said. He dodged another blow. "Let out all that anger, Lina-chan. It's not good to have it all cooped up inside of you."  
  
Merlina shrieked with anger and this time, began to fight in serious. She teleported behind him and launched a blast of energy at his back. He launched his own attack that cancelled her first blast, but she was moving in already, her sword ready to slice off his arm. He sighed and made a great show of firing two rapid blasts of fire at her. She teleported out of the way, but instead of appearing behind as she usually did, she appeared in the same place she vanished, catching him off guard. He hastily teleported out of the way, but she cut his cloak.  
  
*****  
  
Mesphisel looked coldly at the rest of the dragons. Sure, there were quite a few of them, but not even sheer numbers were enough to beat him. What they needed was skill, and they were pathetically weak before him. He launched himself at another dragon and his twin Mazoku daggers in his hand glinted. They were big, but he was fast, and made quick work of him, slicing him into ribbons. The dragons didn't seem to want to fight anymore, which was boring, so he sent them a last gift. The earth under him shook as his blast cleared the air of the leftover dragons.  
  
Then he turned to look at his..... niece.... and his 'brother' fight. He didn't understand him. He knew Merlin could quiet quickly eradicate her, and he could tell that Merlina wasn't using all her power even though she was angry. Humans... were stupid. Why was Merlin showing such a human trait?  
  
*****  
  
Xellos finally came across his senses as he realized that his mother was out cold on the floor. He quickly gathered his wits and cast a Recovery on his mother. Her eyes fluttered and then she opened them fully.  
  
"Oh, Xellos!" she cried. "You're OK! For a while I thought you had betrayed your race!"  
  
"What..." asked Xellos. She got up and then glared at the sky, seeing Merlina attacking the dragons.  
  
"Come, Xellos. We must put an end to this Mazoku menace."  
  
"What...?" asked Xellos as she dragged him along.  
  
"Those three Mazoku must be exterminated. That way, Zelas will be weak. With Zelas weak, we can cripple her, and our Lord Ceipheed will triumph!"  
  
"But mother! That's my friend!" he said. He shook his hand out of her grasp. "I'm not going to hurt her. You can try if you want, but I'm not helping you." He saw Merlina break her crystal and eradicating the dragons attacking her in the process. Now, she was fighting Merlin. And if she wanted even a chance at pinning him down, she would need his help.  
  
"Xellos!" shouted his mother. He turned around.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"What are you planning to do? You're going to team up with a half mazoku half human creature? She is way below your station and we are fighting against her." said his mother, looking angrily at her son.  
  
"I told you mom, she's my friend." he said. "I can't leave her. And I'd appreciate if you talked about her with just a little more respect."  
  
"She will die anyway." said the mother. "She is stupid to try to take the mazoku by herself. However, she is doing her job well. She will tire him out and then when he kills her, we'll make our move and kill him. Or else, while they are busy fighting, when they aren't paying attention to us, we will shoot both of them down." She made a motion, and a few white archers appeared from the foliage, magically enhanced bows and arrows in their hands.  
  
"No!"  
  
"What?" asked the mother this time.  
  
"I said no!" said Xellos angrily. "If you want to shoot at her, you'll have to take the risk of shooting me also." He took out a green crystal and cast it at the archers. A wind spell burst around them, causing gales that shook the branches and the archers found out that they couldn't aim and fight with such a strong wind at the same time. He then flew up to meet Merlina. His mother looked up at him, a heartbroken look on her face which soon hardened to anger. She saw that the source of the wind came from the gem and tried to get to it to break it up or to deactivate it. Finally, she lost patience and threw her lance at the gem. It bounced harmlessly off the surface of the crystal. She gritted her teeth. She called to one of the archers.  
  
"Go to the temple and request back up." she said. "We have them here. And they aren't paying attention to us. We will never have such an opportunity again. The general and priest of Zelas will die, today!"  
  
*****  
  
Mesphisel was bored. He knew that Merlin liked his fun, and that if anyone got in his way, he'd get angry. But he was really drawing this out. So he decided to go back to Zelas and tell her that their mission had been accomplished. He looked at the clearing, a satisfied look on his face. It would take some time for the Dragons to be able to recuperate their troops, especially when all these were dead. A cold smile graced his angular face and he vanished, but not before he sent Merlin a quick note.  
  
"Hurry it up, will you?"  
  
*****  
  
Xellos raced to help Merlina. To his senses, it seemed as if the other Mazoku had vanished. Not one to complain when things turned out their way, he readied his own staff and took out his clear barrior gem. Merlina had added power to it. He had been too shocked with death to be able to refine the blood and add it into his gem. And Merlina had done it for him. Well, this time, he was ready to fight. They were a team, and he'd make sure that he pulled his weight.  
  
Merlina had stopped in mid air, her face slightly red from the exertion. She had tried to not exert herself and had teleported only short distances and sparingly. Mostly, she relied on quick reflexes and her barrier gem. She felt Xellos flying up to her and smiled. Finally,... he was out of his shock. She hoped.  
  
She felt something shift behind her and she took her sword and turned to face whatever it was. Seeing the magic come to her, she used her sword to slice it away. But Merlin had vanished again. She concentrated on trying to find his astral precense.  
  
She saw Xellos flying up and he took his place behind her, back to back.  
  
"Glad to see you could make it." said Merlina as she held her sword defensively before her.  
  
"Sorry about that." said Xellos sheepishly. "However, I am not missing this fight for anything in the world."  
  
"How's your mother?" asked Merlina. There was no sign of Merlin, and she was starting to get worried.  
  
"She'll get over it." said Xellos. He looked at Merlina, who had looked back at him. "I decided that I can't just leave you. We've been together for the longest time, you know."  
  
"Thanks." said Merlina, a small smile on her face. Then it hardened. "Now, heads up. He's coming!" With that, she handed him her staff. "Use this. It'll be more useful." She gave him a quick smile before her eyes hardened to face what was coming.  
  
End Chapter 14  
  
Thanks for hanging in there. There's either one or two more chapters left. Don't worry. I'm planning on making sure all the small details are dealt with. As usual, comments and criticism is appreciated. Hang in there! We're almost done! Oh, and to my faithful readers, thanks. And to A Nobody, you're not one. You made my day! Arigato!  
  
Hotaru 


	15. Chapter 15

Once Upon a Time  
  
by Hotaru  
  
Disclaimer: You guys know the drill. Characters don't belong to me. Have fun!  
  
Chapter 15: The End of the Beginning  
  
The two teens looked around them warily. Merlina concentrated some more. She knew that Merlin was around, but she couldn't tell from which direction he would come from. Suddenly, a black blur appeared before them. Immediately, the two teens attacked, easily covering the others weaknesses and enforcing each other's strengths. However, Merlin still flowed in between them with grace born from years of fighting.  
  
"You two are good," said Merlin. He ducked a lightning blast and brought around his own staff to block his daughter's sword strike. Xellos brought his own staff into play, the ruby red orb going through the place where Merlin's head was supposed to be. Merlin flipped around in mid-air and shot two bolts of energy at the two.  
  
"Gaaah!" screamed Merlina as she hurriedly twisted out of the way, her defenses down. Merlin took advantage of it and hit her undefended back with his staff, sending her down to earth.  
  
"Merlina!" shouted Xellos. He spun around and twirled the staff in his hands trying to knock the staff out of Merlin's staff. Merlin just laughed at his weak attempts and knocked Xellos's staff away instead. The staff flew down to the earth, but a flying Merlina caught it before it hit the ground.  
  
"Oh well," said Xellos. "I fight better hand to hand." He launched himself at the Mazoku and tried to fight him. He managed to block Merlin's staff and used his hands and feet to try to get a hit in. Merlina flew into the fray once more, still brandishing her Sword of Light. If she could only knick him. She knew that the Sword of Light could harm him. As she passed by Xellos, she deposited the staff again in his hands. Xellos smiled and brought it around to hit Merlin, who hadn't expected Xellos's reach to increase.  
  
From the ground, all that could be seen was a blur. Kyuzan looked up with a scowl, her bow pulled tight, the arrow ready to be launched.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked one of the lesser priests.  
  
"I'm going to shoot one of them down." she said, grimly.  
  
"But your son is up there!"  
  
"There are two Mazoku and my son." she said. "Chances are, one of them will get hit instead of my son." She powered up her bow, calling upon Ceipheed's magic to bless her arrow, and let it fly loose. The bow flew threw the skies amazingly fast and zipped towards the fighters.  
  
The two teenagers didn't see it flying towards them. More specifically, Merlina didn't see it flying towards her. They were too busy fighting someone who not only was fast, but could teleport. And Merlina was beginning to tire.  
  
Merlin, though did see it. He danced around them and then vanished for two seconds before appearing in front of Merlina. He smiled at her in a gentle manner before he slumped over as the arrow impacted him. The arrow was not normally enough to seriously take out such a strong Mazoku as he was. The Sword of Light that flashed through the air and embedded itself into his chest was. Merlina, totally surprised by Merlin's appereance had let instinct take over and she stared horrified at her sword.  
  
"No...." she said to herself. Xellos froze as he saw Merlin start falling. "No!!!!" screamed Merlina as she flew after him, catching his body with her lithe one. She set him down gently on the ground. "No...."  
  
Merlin looked up and smiled at his daughter. His hand went up to gently caress her face.  
  
"You look so like your mother." he said softly. Merlina tried to get the sword out of him, but he stopped her with a hand. "No, it will just worsen it."  
  
"But.... dad..." said Merlina as her eyes teared up.  
  
"Now, listen..." he coughed out. Some blood came out, landing on her shirt and his also.  
  
"What can I do?" she asked. She hadn't wanted to kill him. Beat him up badly, yes. Not stab him, and definately not like this. Her tears leaked out faster as she tried to figure out something to do. She sucked at white healing, and it would just harm him.  
  
"Lina-chan... I'm so proud of you..." he said softly.  
  
"No, rest..." she started again but Merlin kept on.  
  
"I always wanted the best for you, you know. I knew the Mazoku... although not.... your best of companions," he said. His eyes looked peacefully at her. "They would accept you... not like... humans. But you are human also... and you have... a good... human friend." He nodded toward the figure behind her. Merlina felt a hand rest on her shoulder.  
  
"Dad,... don't die..." she said sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean,... please...come back..."  
  
"Don't say sorry... Mazoku never say... sorry, nor do they beg," he said weakly and started coughing up blood. "But you are your mother's daughter too.... and I'm glad. Find your place, between the humans,.. and us..." He started to cough again. Merlina used her sleeve to wipe the dark red, almost black, Mazoku blood. "I know I wasn't the best...." He smiled at that and laughed a bit. "But I always wanted the best for you." His eyes lowered a bit. "You know... orders are orders. But I still love you. And your mother... I will always love your mother and you."  
  
Merlina looked stricken as he fingered her hair and then closed his eyes. "Take care of her, boy......."  
  
"Dad..." she said softly. She lifted up the head and hugged it to her as she cried softly. Xellos stood behind her, not knowing what to do. He looked at Merlin's Mazoku form. It started to disappear softly, the human form melting into his real form, a black flame. And soon, even that vanished.  
  
Xellos felt a being behind him and turned around, spinning the red crystal tipped staff into a defensive position. He saw Mesphisel before him, his eyes burning with anger. However, the eyes were not turned to either Merlina or him, but focused further away. He turned around, dreading what he would see.  
  
Before them stood his mother, her hair a wild mess. There was a glowing bow in her hands, but that wasn't what grabbed his attention. What did grab his attention, was her smile. A smile full of satisfaction and glee. She didn't seem to be paying attention to anything, just smiling at herself, as if she had a huge secret that totally filled her with rapture. She was smiling, smiling,...  
  
He turned suddenly, hearing a loud roar of anger from behind him. He watched as an angered Mesphisel summoned up the largest spear of black magic he had seen and launched it right at her. He forced himself to watch as the black spear pierced right through her human body, and then imploded. He could hear her scream of pain, but he then looked at the weeping form of Merlina at his feet. There were other things to worry about. His eyes narrowed, trying to block the smile from his mind.  
  
By now, Merlina had finished weeping and was just shaking as she tried to compose herself. Xellos turned towards Mesphisel, being ready for a fight should the Mazoku initiate it.  
  
"He would not have died, you know," said Mesphisel as he walked up to them.  
  
"What?" asked Merlina as she looked up. Nothing mattered to her right now. She had lost both of her parents, to the same woman. She looked up at her uncle, her eyes empty.  
  
"The wound, while given by the Sword of Light, could have been healed by our mistress." said Mesphisel. He looked at the two coldly.  
  
"How..." started Xellos.  
  
"Silence, mortal." said Mesphisel to him. Then he turned to look at Merlina. "He knew that too. All he had to do was to go back. But he didn't. He stayed with you." Merlina looked up, her eyes beginning to be filled with questions. "He chose you, despite Zelas's orders."  
  
"He.... could have lived...?" she asked. She stood up and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "Why tell us this?" she asked.  
  
"Because, I wanted his..... daughter... to know the... importance... of his decision." said Mesphisel. "And because... in a warped way, you are my niece. So that when Zelas wants to see you dead, you'll understand." With that, he vanished. And the only people left in the field where the two children.  
  
*****  
  
The two had made it back to Zephyria by themselves. None of them talked and they didn't touch each other, each one lost in their own thoughts. Merlina looke fatigued. It wasn't just a physical fatigue though. She looked more than tired. She looked... beaten, gone, haunted.  
  
Xellos was just quiet, taking it as stoically as he could. He didn't say a thing after the Mazoku left. He had taken the Sword of Light and handed it to Merlina. Then he led her to Zephyria until she got the point and walked mechanically. They turned down a street. The others in the town looked at them weirdly and one or two glared at them. But finally, they reached Merlina's home. He escorted her to her room and then went to the guest room. This was the first time that both of them slept under the same roof but in different rooms. Both dropped off into an uneasy sleep.  
  
*****  
  
Zelas frowned on listening to the report brought back to her by Mesphisel. One of her best minions was dead, due to his foolishness. He shouldn't have died. She replayed the battle scene in her crystal ball again. Her eyes narrowed as she saw him cradled by his.... daughter. Merlina.  
  
She understood his reasons for bringing her to them. He was right. Among Mazoku, even though tainted, she was respected. Respected because of her power. Even untrained, she was powerful. The Mazoku were not very kind, but even they knew some respect, something humans were sorely lacking in. Humans would have just pushed her away, and they had. And yet... Merlina had left them for the humans. Just like that, with no backward glance. If she had not been involved in this, then Merlin wouldn't have died. She didn't even know why she had allowed Merlin to play with his human pets to such an extreme. She didn't know why she had let him get so attached...  
  
No, it was a lie. She really knew even though she feigned ignorance. He had been curious, just as she was. They both wanted to know why... What made humans tick, what made humans stay together... What made them so foolish that they'd give up their lives for people who didn't understand them... What made them such good martyrs...Her experiment was ruined. It had backfired into her face. Her eyes hardened.  
  
"Bring back the girl to me, Mesphisel. And the boy too." She then turned her eyes to the other crystal in her hands. All of Merlin's power was refined into the glowing red orb. Such a pity. She would not waste him.  
  
*****  
  
The two children where brought to her. It was easy for Mesphisel to find them. The closest town was Zephyria. And they had the strongest auras in town. They had also been asleep and had put up absolutely no resistance. Zelas doubted that even awake, they would have put up much of a fight in the first place.  
  
Zelas sighed, dissappointed. The girl, so full of life before, so full of vivacity and anger, was empty. There was no anger nor any other emotion in her. It was as if she had been sucked dry. It would have been lovely to use the girl. It would have been... ironic. And she loved ironic. He had too... Well, at least the girl still had strength. She had even more strength than the boy, all wild and untamed. She'd deal with her later, though. She then turned her sight on the boy. To her surprise, she saw a hidden anger and disgust in him. His outward demeanor was cool, almost like Mesphisel. However, his inward self, that was so tightly controlled, was full of life. He was delightfully angry, even in his sleep. She thought about it a bit. This would be ironic too. It was such a pity though... had the two joined, or fused, it would have been the perfect minion...  
  
"Place her in her old room." she said as she ordered for her minions to take her away. "And be careful with her. I will not have her harmed." She then summoned Mesphisel.  
  
"I want you to train the boy." she said. He looked at her quizzically. "You will train him, elsewhere. You will turn him strong and turn him to our side. In one years time, he will be ready to take up the mantle as my Priest."  
  
"But if he chooses not to pledge to you, my mistress?" asked Mesphisel.  
  
"He will. When you complete the training I have in mind, he will pledge to us."  
  
*****  
  
One year passed quickly. For Mazoku, time was nearly non-existant. One year was nothing for Mazoku, who would life for hundreds of years if no one killed them. Zelas had done some tampering in Xellos's mind and had carefully undone one link that Xellos had with Merlina. She smiled evilly as she snipped it. Now, he wouldn't love the girl. And with no one in the way, with no purpose in life and with no family tying him down, he was easy prey for the mind bending tricks that were used by Mesphisel and Zelas. However, she couldn't remove Merlina from his thoughts completely. So she cut out what she could and then burried it deep inside his psyche. There would be no reason for him to delve that deep into himself for a long time. By that time, she might have been able to delete her completely. She accepted no mistake this time. She kept Merlina away from Xellos, having them work in separate areas.  
  
Merlina. The girl had awoken, but had no reaction or recollection to what had happened. Zelas had started her training again, and this time, with no ties to her old life, she made progress. Quick progress. The fire in her life was gone, but was replaced by her eagerness to learn all she could. She was still useful. She was the only Mazoku who had so much control over the Sword of Light. It was wonderful, seeing her almost completely shun her human side.  
  
He was her Priest, a Trickster, a grin. She was her Weapon, a being with one track in mind, to become stronger and know more. An exotic blend of human, mazoku and dragon. It was perfect.  
  
*****  
  
One day, they met up. Merlina carried her Sword around her everywhere. She was the third strongest Mazoku under Zelas. The first being Mesphisel and then, her Mysterious Priest. She had never seen him, and she didn't mind. He was the Mysterious Priest, seen by hardly anyone, since Zelas would not show him to almost anyone. Not that she cared. She may not be one of the two, but she was a favorite of Zelas's also, for some reason. Besides, she was unique among the Mazoku, being the sole wielder of the Sword of Light. Quite ironic. But Zelas loved irony.  
  
She hurried to her conference with Zelas. Her vibrant red hair glinted in the dimly lit corridors of Zelas's home. She entered a hallway, and ran into someone else which caused her to fall down. Her insult reamined unspoken as she looked up into amethyst eyes, and she shivered. She knew those eyes...  
  
Xellos was just leaving from an audience with Zelas and wasn't paying attention to where he was going. He knew it was probably his fault for runnng into whoever it was.  
  
"Ah, I am very sorry." said the Trickster Priest. In his left hand he held his staff. It was the staff that had used to belong to Merlin, then Merlina and was now his. The crystal clear gem was gone, replaced by a red one. He extended his hand to the Mazoku he had bumped into. To his surprise, his hand was actually taken. He opened his eyes and looked at the Mazoku before him. Red eyes stared into his.  
  
"No, it's my fault." she said. She looked at him critically. "You are... the Mysterious Priest?" He put on his trademark smile and closed his eyes, looking sickeningly innocent.  
  
"Xellos, the Mysterious Priest of our Mistress, Zelas Metallium." he formally bowed. Merlina actually smiled for a bit and bowed back.  
  
"Merlina, her Weapon." she said simply. The two nodded at each other and parted ways.  
  
*****  
  
Xellos thought carefully about his encounter with Merlina. Of course he recognized her name. And he had to be careful around her. The Mazoku way to climb up the power ladder was to beat the guy ahead of you, and he was ahead of her. He had been surprised when she had accepted his hand, though.  
  
Being a powerful Mazoku, he was able to delight in a few quirks. Mainly, of being polite to everyone. It always threw them off, and left them open, for they never knew what to expect. But she had called his bluff, whether she had meant to or not. Curiously, he felt some sort of kinship with her. Knowing that in this business, emotions would get you killed, he kept his thoughts to himself. Mesphisel always dissapproved of emotions anyway.  
  
*****  
  
Merlina thought. That was the Mysterious Priest. Zelas would not want her to know him. She knew since Zelas never spoke of him. So she wouldn't tell Zelas. Besides, she had other things to worry about. For one, Zelas had told her a small interesting tidbit the other day... The Mazoku and Ryuzoku war would begin very soon. She had to gather more strength.  
  
*****  
  
The war was fun. It was painfully beautiful. All the death, the sick the dying really made the Mazoku relax. And amidst all the fun, there was work. After all, the dragons had to be taken down.  
  
They thought that the battle would have been easy. To their surprise, the Dragons were willing to fight back. And they fought back hard.  
  
And in the first ambush set up by the dragons, there were casualties. To Zelas's satisfaction, Mesphisel's death was not going unavenged. Xellos had all of a sudden appeared in the battle field and leveled all the dragons in the ambush. After all, Mesphisel was his teacher. Let it never be said that Mazoku have no sense of honor.  
  
The next ambush was just as strong and but twice as long as the first. The dragons had learned to anticipate where her Mazoku would be all by themselves. And when they were alone, they would attack. The next ambush, to her surprise, was on Merlina.  
  
To her credit, she had fought back very hard. She had taken almost all of the dragons that fought against her. However, she wasn't all powerful, and died. Her last blast, was brilliant and gold in color, unlike her normal red bursts. There was a tingling of another magic in the air, but it vanished in less than a second so that Zelas thought she had imagined it. Merlina's death saddened her. She hated to see so many wasted deaths. But she was proud of her... granddaughter of sorts. More and more dragons had flown to the ambush to help their lizard brothers and sisters, and she had killed most of them. However, even more were coming, and Merlina had been in charge of the defenses. With her gone, the Dragons expected easy pickings.  
  
She made ready to send more of her minions but watched, her eyes filled with surprise, as Xellos suddenly appeared on one of the rocks where the battle had taken place. His eyes glowed with repressed anger before he closed his eyes and smiled at the hordes of incoming dragons. They thought it would be easy. The did not know that this one Mazoku... that this lone priest... could stop them all. He drew a line in between the dragon hordes with his finger and watched with satisfaction as they all died, exploding from the inside out. He opened his eyes. The anger was gone and he smiled.  
  
Zelas summoned him to her and he appeared before her.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"Why what?" asked Xellos. He smiled up at her.  
  
"Why did you kill them all like that?" she asked.  
  
"Sore wa himitsu desu." he said after giving it some thought. But as he said it, an odd expression crossed his face. However, it was for a short time and was soon replaced by his ever present smile.  
  
"I see." said Zelas. She knew a little about Merlina and Merlin. Both had a thing for secrets. And Merlina had loved that phrase. How Xellos knew it... Zelas rolled in her palm the two orbs of power left from Mesphisel and Merlina, fusing them as one. But something was wrong. There was something missing. And she remembered the flash of gold. Mazoku don't flash gold. Neither do dragons, for they flash white. And she paled.  
  
"Is there anything the matter, Zelas?" asked Xellos.  
  
"No." she said. "Now go out, and make our race proud, Xellos." And he did. There never was a better Priest than he.  
  
*****  
  
Somewhere far away, a girl slept peacefully at last as golden eyes glittered while watching over her. She looked at the girl asleep in an astral void. She looked so peaceful, young, innocent. It would help her in life one day. No one would expect her to have the power she would be granted. Through that girl, she'd be able to finally act in her world. And she smiled. She would not be alone anymore. Never, never, never anymore.  
  
End Chapter 15  
  
End Once Upon a Time  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Finished. Totally. I think. *smile* So, tell me what you think. It's the first Slayers fic I've finished, and I like it. It's my first try in attempting to write a fic in the past that tries to explain the present. I hope I did well. Thanks for reading and for sticking to it, despite all my sporadic updates. See ya in my next fic!  
  
Hotaru  
  
July 2003 


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